《The Isles of the Torn Serpent》
Book:1 Ch. 1 The Proving
The roar of a bear shook the leaves of the nearby bushes as it charged at a bloodied human figure. Its opponent held a thick dagger in his right hand, staring at the charging beast with his light brown eyes. A deep breath slipped away beneath the bear¡¯s roar as the bloodied figure began to rush towards the beast himself. The enraged bear lounged forward with its claws swiping through the air, but they hit empty space as the figure leapt upwards with a slight spin of his body. He struck downwards with his dagger, sinking it into the side of the bear¡¯s neck, pulling himself downwards using his stuck blade. The bear roared out in anger and pain as it tried to throw off its attacker from its back, but a hammer-like strike from the stranger¡¯s hand bashed it on the head to stagger it for a moment. That moment was enough for the man to tear the dagger free, only to sink into the beast¡¯s skull through its earhole. It jerked and roared out as the blade was twisted in its skull before it collapsed on the ground. The bloodied man rolled off the beast¡¯s back, vomiting blood himself between heavy breaths.
¡°Curse you, you bloody cowards!¡± His tired and pained voice filled the sudden quiet of the forest as he tried to stand back up.
As he straightened himself, he towered over the bear¡¯s carcass with his six-and-a-half feet height. A deep breath and a bloody spit later, the brawny young man crouched down and grabbed the carcass, slowly lifting it up. He crouched beneath it, letting it rest on his back as he pulled its front legs over his shoulders and began to drag it away like an overgrown mill sack. His slow and heavy footsteps left deep imprints on the spring grass of the forest as the man moved towards his goal. He stopped from time to time to adjust the carcass for a better grip before moving on once more. A good hour later the thick fir trees parted ways as the sight of a valley spread out in front of him. The sun was already falling from the sky, painting the dale in a dark golden red. Longhouses and huts sparsely filled the land, the rocky dirt path in front of him leading down the hill. A crowd gathered at the edge of the village, loud laughter and cheers filling the air as the older generation patted the youngsters on their backs and the youths boasted about the prey they¡¯d hunted.
¡°Look!¡± a sharp feminine yell broke the merry gathering. ¡°Einar is back!¡±
The crowd turned towards the youth, watching in awe as he dragged the bear carcass through what counted as the finishing line of that day¡¯s challenge. He let the corpse fall on the ground as everyone cheered even louder, but there was no joy on the youth¡¯s face, only anger. The people who wanted to congratulate him had to jump aside as Einar broke into a run.
¡°Father save...¡± A squeaky voice tried to call for help in the crowd before a thundering boom filled the air and a bloody-faced figure flew through the air.
¡°Einar!¡± The guards yelled as they rushed towards him as he lifted a black-haired girl in the air by the throat.
¡°You dare raise your hand at the Jarl¡¯s children? You¡¯ll...¡±
¡°I raised my hands at a pair of cowards!¡± Einar answered as his grasp tightened around the young woman¡¯s neck.
¡°Einar, let go of my daughter or you¡¯ll lose your arm!¡± A voice of authority pulled everyone¡¯s gaze towards a man in richly adorned armour.
The man walked closer with measured steps as he unsheathed his sword.
¡°I¡¯d like to see you try, Gunnar.¡± Another heavy voice challenged as the crowd parted ways for a mountain of a man.
This figure was slightly taller than Einar and bulkier as well. His features were similar to the youth, his braided beard and the twin axes in his hands both swaying with each step.
¡°He attacked my son and daughter, Bj?rn. I am within my rights to...¡±
¡°He also called them cowards,¡± the giant cut into the man¡¯s words. ¡°There ought to be a good reason for that. Don¡¯t you think?¡±
After earning the Jarl¡¯s silence, he turned towards the youth with his axe still pointing at the Jarl.
¡°Speak up son! What happened?¡±
¡°I was hunting down a great black wolf when these two appeared out of the forest with that bear right on their heels. They ran past me, leading it right towards me. The cowards even yelled back that they hoped I¡¯d have a heroic death as they ran after the wolf I already injured and vanished back into the forest. They managed to anger the bear so much that it only saw blood and it nearly ripped me apart.¡± He pointed at his slashed-apart vest.
¡°Well,¡± Bj?rn grinned with a murderous glint in his eyes. ¡°Are you still within your rights, Gunnar?¡±
¡°Father, he¡¯s lying!¡± The young man with the bleeding lips said as he got up from the ground.
¡°Ingrid and I would never...¡±
¡°Check the inner thigh of that wolf¡¯s left hind leg! one of my knives got stuck in it when I fought it. If nothing else, the wound is still there.¡±
Not knowing what to say, the jarl nodded and one of the hunters stepped beside the giant wolf carcass. The man raised the beast¡¯s leg and he soon pulled out a small dagger from it.
¡°That¡¯s my son¡¯s knife. You can ask Sven if you don¡¯t believe me. He forged it not that long ago.¡±
The crowd of people turned towards the local blacksmith for confirmation. Sven, as tall and hardy as he was, still seemed to be an ordinary fellow compared to Bj?rn. The blacksmith nodded in agreement, his light flax-coloured hair swinging in a slow rhythm. His nod earned a new wave of murmurs in the crowd as they looked at Einar and the twins.
¡°It seems like your brats broke both the rules of today¡¯s festival and the laws. They must pay the price for their deed.¡± The giant of a man stated as he gripped his twin axes.
¡°Don¡¯t you dare berate me about the law,¡± Gunnar growled. ¡°God-marked stand above the common folks. Even if they did what your son claims. If anything, you should be...¡±
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¡°The God-marked might have a higher standing than a commoner,¡± a gentle yet firm and commanding voice broke the argument. ¡°But today they stand as equals.¡±
A woman wearing a colourful robe walked forward through the crowd, carved bone ornaments clinging to her clothes. She walked closer to the tall youth, circling him while scrutinizing him with a discerning gaze.
¡°Take off that ruined shirt, boy!¡± The woman said and the youth did as told without hesitation.
He dropped the somewhat purple-faced girl and pulled off the remains of his shirt. Once his torn upper clothes were taken off, the woman grabbed the scraps of cloth from his hand and used it to wipe the blood from the youth¡¯s injured chest. A set of still-fresh claw marks were revealed, along with a faintly glowing tattoo. A serpent biting its own tail formed a circle where the young man¡¯s heart was.
¡°The Great Serpent¡¯s mark.¡± Bj?rn stuttered as he stared at the sigil on his son¡¯s chest.
¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Gunnar said as he stumbled back. ¡°He wasn¡¯t born with a God¡¯s mark. This must be some kind of...¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The woman called out to the jarl, her face darkening.
¡°But Helga, that¡¯s...¡±
¡°Did you forget to whom today¡¯s challenge is for? Today is the day of the Proving. Today¡¯s hunt is meant to be an offering to the gods and a proof of the younglings¡¯ readiness to become adults. Defeating a full-grown black bear with nothing but a knife is a deed worthy of the blessing of the gods. Today Einar fought a great foe and was blessed for his bravery and skill. He is a God-marked now, and the winner of today¡¯s challenge. His is the right of the two sacks. As is the reparation you ought to pay for the misdeed of your kin. The Proving is hereby over. Tomorrow morning I shall open the gateway to the Field of Broken Blades. Now rest, young ones.¡± Helga stated as she turned and began to walk away towards the village shrine.
¡°You heard the priestess,¡± Bj?rn said with a gleeful smirk. ¡°See you tomorrow Gunnar. And don¡¯t forget to bring along what¡¯s owed.¡±
The jarl¡¯s face switched between several different shades of red and purple, threatening to make his eyes pop out of his skull. Bj?rn couldn¡¯t care less about the man¡¯s rage as he and a few others grabbed the dead bear, taking it to the skinner¡¯s workshop. Einar was told to head over to the local healer, his wounds needing to be taken care of. The tall youth earned several pats on the back from the people as he walked through the village, his eyes wandering amongst the thatch-roofed houses.
¡°Einar,¡± a soft voice called out to him from a nearby building. ¡°Granny Eira is already waiting for you. Hurry up and get inside!¡±
¡°She¡¯s waiting for me?¡± The young man asked as he stared at the shapely girl at the door of a large hut.
Kari was a pretty girl, beautiful even. Her hay-coloured hair encircled her oval face, making her dark-brown eyes and slightly freckled cheeks more appealing. If there was one girl in the village that could make even this giant of a lad¡¯s heart beat faster, it was her.
¡°I saw what that bear had done to you, so I came back to tell her about it. I knew you¡¯d come here first.¡±
¡°Clever.¡± Einar praised her briefly as he was ushered inside the healer¡¯s cottage.
The smell of herbs and ointments floated thickly in the air, several different plants hanging from the ceiling.
¡°You look like a mess,¡± an aged voice greeted him. ¡°I¡¯ll have to stitch those claw marks close. I hope that you¡¯re ready for it.¡±
¡°Greetings, granny Eira.¡± The young man greeted the old healer as he sat down on the wooden stool she pointed at.
The woman cleaned his wounds with some foul-smelling spirit, using a bent needle and some horse hair thread to stitch the wounds shut. Einar sat through the process without so much as a sound, earning a nod from the old woman. She smeared some kind of ointment on his injuries before touching the snake tattoo on his chest.
¡°Congratulations on becoming a God-marked. And it only took you a brush with death to earn it. Alright, you¡¯re done. Come back early in the morning tomorrow and I¡¯ll get the threads out. God-marked heal fast, especially with my ointments. Now go and tell your mother that I¡¯m still waiting for that basket she promised.¡±
¡°I will, and thank you!¡±
The large youth headed towards the door, only stopping when a voice called out to him once again.
¡°Einar,¡± Kari stepped beside him. ¡°Will you come to tomorrow¡¯s feast?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to now.¡± He pointed at the tattoo on his chest.
¡°Then, I¡¯ll meet you there!¡± She chirped with a sunny smile before scurrying back to her grandmother.
Einar couldn¡¯t stop himself from shaking his head as he left the healer¡¯s hut, making his way to the edge of the village. A large stone-walled house stood near the line of trees that followed the left side of the village, smoke puffing out of its chimney. As the young man neared the building, its door opened and a gentle-toned woman greeted him.
¡°Welcome home, son!¡± The red-haired woman ushered him closer, circling around the youth to look for injuries.
¡°I already heard the news about your victory at the Proving,¡± she sighed as her fingers brushed against the ointment on his chest. ¡°You had me worried. Your father arrived a few minutes ago, telling me that you were attracted by a bear.¡±
¡°It did leave me with a farewell gift.¡± Einar noted as he looked down at his sewn-up wounds.
¡°I still can¡¯t believe what those shameless twins did! To think that they would...¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright, mother.¡± The youth tried to calm down the fiery-tempered woman as they walked inside.
¡°If anything,¡± Bj?rn¡¯s deep voice resounded from one of the rooms as he joined them. ¡°We should be grateful for the chance those cowards brought towards his way. After all; we finally have a God-marked in the family.¡±
¡°Bj?rn Arnessen, you callous oaf!¡± The woman started to wind up her fury once again, only to be pulled into a hug as the giant man stole a kiss from her.
¡°Astrid; can¡¯t you be happy for our son? He¡¯s a bloody God-marked now!He broke the edict of that bloody old tyrant andcan finally leave the island. We¡¯re finally free. All of us.¡±
¡°I know,¡± the woman let out a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just worried. Tomorrow¡¯s the day of the Gathering and the God-marked would be granted a calling as well. What if he gets something that will make everyone despise or envy him?¡±
¡°The Gods found him worthy of their blessing,¡± Bj?rn let go of his wife and sat down beside the table that was filled with a sumptuous meal. ¡°They will know what he needs more than the two of us. Now let¡¯s eat. Tonight we celebrate!¡±
The giant of a man let out a hearty laugh, his loud voice prompting a pair of younger children to appear from one of the rooms. A boy and a girl, varying in age, both less than ten winters now hung on their father¡¯s arms. Laughter and singing filled the house as the dinner passed and night took hold of the land. Once the small family celebration was over, Einar washed down the blood and dirt of the day before collapsing on his bed.
Book: 1 Ch. 2 The Ritual of Paths
The rooster¡¯s early cries woke the tall youth, urging him to get dressed, albeit staying shirtless as he intended to head over to the healer¡¯s house. As he tried to sneak out of his home, a low yet sturdy voice called out to him.
¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too early for you to get up? The gateway will only be opened when the sun rises.¡± Bj?rn reminded his son.
¡°I¡¯m heading over to granny Eira.¡±
¡°Are you visiting her or...¡±
¡°She told me to go there early to get the threads out of my wounds.¡± Einar cut into his father¡¯s teasing as he pointed at his chest.
¡°Go on then. Don¡¯t keep the old crone waiting.¡±
The young man nodded and headed out. It was still relatively dark in the village, even the sea only reflected some of the cloud-covered moon far away. As the youth neared the healer¡¯s hut, he noticed that the old woman was sitting on a bench on the porch.
¡°I see that you¡¯re doing fine.¡± She stated as she waved him closer.
¡°Good morning, granny Eira.¡± Einar greeted the healer properly.
It was always a good idea to stay in the good graces of the person who knew how to heal you when you got hurt. The elderly woman stood up from the bench, heading inside with the tall youth following her. Einar was ordered to sit on the same stool he did the day before while Eira brought over a set of delicate shears. She wedged its tip beneath the knot of the horse thread, cutting each loop methodically. The healer put her left hand on the scabbed wound, pulling out the severed threads with her right.
¡°It always amazes me how fast our bodies can heal if we use the right remedy,¡± she noted as she smeared some greasy medicine on the nearly healed claw marks. ¡°You should be completely healed in a few more hours.¡±
¡°Thank you, granny Eira.¡±
¡°Alright lad, get going. The sun is about to rise and you have places to be.¡±
Einar nodded upon hearing the reminder and left the old healer¡¯s cottage as silently as possible, despite his large size. Looking towards the sea at the edge of the village, the first rays of the sun began to draw their crimson light across the seemingly boundless waters. The tall youth hurried over to the shrine of the gods, a small crowd already gathering near the entrance.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± a familiar voice made Einar stop, his father walking out of the crowd. ¡°You should at least wear this while in there.¡±
Bj?rn handed over a roughly tailored wolf fur vest to his son, a fine piece made of a proud kill from a few months ago.
¡°Listen,¡± the man¡¯s voice turned serious as he waved his son closer. ¡°Once you get to the other side of the gate, you¡¯ll only have ten minutes to gather whatever you need. You¡¯re a God-marked now, so this event will define your fate more than it does for others. The right of two sacks gives you a chance to bring back more, but you mustn¡¯t waste your time on baubles and the like. Use one sack to gather metal for a sword and the other to collect armour pieces. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes, father.¡± Einar nodded as he put on his vest, tying it firmly.
The two headed towards the clearing where the keeper of the shrine and the other new adults awaited them. Gunnar stood beside the priestess, their conversation ending abruptly as Einar arrived.
¡°Good,¡± Helga smiled at him. ¡°Since all of you are here; let us begin!¡±
The priestess turned towards the carved stone slabs behind Gunnar, her prayer sounding like a baleful hymn. Her helpers handed canvas sacks to the youths present, each receiving one, except for Einar. He was given two small mill sacks, as was his right due to his victory on the previous day. Soon the priestess¡¯ prayer reached its height and a swirling mist formed a gateway between the pair of large carved stones.
¡°The gateway has been opened, hurry!¡± She said in a weary tone.
The young men and women rushed into the portal with sacks in hand, vanishing one by one. A swirling nausea grabbed hold of Einar as he too got swept away by the mist, landing in a half kneeling position while he tried to stop himself from vomiting out last night¡¯s dinner. As the world stopped spinning around him, the sight of a dimly lit ancient battlefield opened up to him.
He couldn¡¯t see the end of it, no matter which direction he turned towards, but the most terrifying sight only showed itself once he looked up. Water covered the sky a good thirty yards above the battlefield, sealing it into a large, flat bubble of sorts. ¡®Now¡¯s not the time.¡¯ He shuddered, snapping out of his stupor. The ground was littered with rotten and wet age-old skeletons, all of them bearing a distinct look due to belonging to different clans and cultures.
Einar remembered the blacksmith¡¯s words from his village about the properties of good steel as he began to grab the shattered weapons with the least amount of rust spots on them. Pieces of axes, swords and such began to fill up the first sack while he kept an eye on the armour scraps of the old remains. Torn leather and metal plates from different lands made their way into the sack, filling it to the brim just before a strange tugging sensation took hold of him.
The mist returned once again, wrapping itself around Einar as something yanked him back with an irresistible force. A moment later he got spat out of the rift between the carved stone slabs, the sight of the slowly falling sun greeting him.
¡°I¡¯m glad to see you return safely,¡± Helga¡¯s voice resounded from behind him as she spoke to them. ¡°The ritual of gathering is now over. Take your earnings and bring it to Sten. He shall use it to forge your first weapons. The God-marked shall stay behind.¡±
As the priestess finished her speech, most of the young men and women left the shrine, their hands firmly grasping the sacks they filled with scavenged scrap. Only four youths remained there. Einar stood there with the twins and a frail young man he knew as the apprentice of a local merchant. Their parents stood at the entrance of the shrine, waiting to be allowed entry. The priestess looked at each of the youths, turning around a moment later.
¡°Follow me.¡± She said in a calm tone as she walked over to a small bonfire that had four beast hides lying around it.
¡°Sit down,¡± she pointed at the hides. ¡°You will be given a cup of brew, which you shall drink in one gulp. After that, quickly lay down and the Ritual of Paths will begin.¡±
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Everyone did as told, the priestess¡¯ helpers handing them a small clay cup filled with a fuming liquid. Einar sent it down in one go before laying back on the soft fur. He wanted to ask Helga how long the ritual would take, but as soon as he laid down, everything went dark around him. As the swirling darkness of his mind cleared, he found himself in a misty forest.
An unexplainable curiosity pushed him to head out through the forest that somehow reminded him of the time he was first taken along by Bj?rn on one of his hunts. Then, the mist around him churned as the darkness snaked closer. When it retreated, Einar felt a slight fall, grabbing hold of what turned out to be a cliff. Looking down, only fog awaited him, upwards however he saw something glinting on the top of the rocks. He began climbing, spurred on by his need to know the source of the light.
The mist once again took him by surprise, wrapping around him before he fell into cold water. As the fog disappeared, he saw a small island ahead, realising that he was swimming in the sea. His surreal swim towards the island was interrupted by the mist once again. This time however he wasn¡¯t alone when it became clear. A frost giant stood in front of him, cold air wafting by with its every breath.
It looked at the youth, swinging a humongous club at him. Einar dodged to the left, noticing that he too had a cudgel of his own. He rushed toward the giant, slamming the cudgel into its shin. The giant didn¡¯t let out any pained grunts, but a hearty laughter as it bent down to reach for him. Instead of a crushing blow, it patted the youth¡¯s head with a proud smile before the mist whisked him away.
As the giant disappeared, the swirling fog revealed a new foe to meet. Einar¡¯s blood chilled in his veins when he found himself staring into the eyes of a large blood-red-scaled dragon. It looked every bit as terrifying as his father¡¯s tales made him imagine it. Strong legs trice his height with claws as big as his arm. A sturdy and scaled body the size of Gunnar¡¯s prized raiding ship. Wings twice as big as said ship¡¯s sails and a neck twice taller and thicker than Bj?rn. The creature¡¯s head was bigger than the bear he defeated with a pair of arm-long horns on top of it.
It looked at the young man with a mixture of disdain and ferocity, letting out a deafening roar towards the youth. Einar felt his ears bleed and his mind ring as he screamed back at the dragon, fuelled by rage and a strange wish to challenge it to a fight that would make even his father¡¯s tall tales sound like humble bedtime stories. The dragon stopped roaring as it stared at Einar with a newfound apprehension and indignation.
It took a deep bellowing breath before a thick column of fire burst forward from its maw. The fire struck the youth in the chest, but it didn¡¯t burn him the slightest. Every last speck of the flames seeped into his chest just before the familiar mist returned, wrapping around Einar. A moment later he woke up with a start, jumping up from the fur he was lying on.
¡°Welcome back amongst the living,¡± The priestess greeted the confused youth as he finally snapped back into reality. ¡°We were starting to get worried about you, but it seems to have been unnecessary.¡±
¡°Wha...¡±
¡°Einar!¡± A familiar voice called out to him as a soft body crashed into him, giving him a hug.
Looking down, the youth saw his mother hugging him with tears flowing from her eyes.
¡°You had us quite worried, boy.¡± His father walked closer, seemingly smaller than before.
¡°What happened?¡± Einar stuttered as he stood there, still not understanding their strange behaviour.
¡°The other three God-marked woke up a good hour ago, but you kept on travelling in the Spirit Realm.¡±
¡°What happened to you in there?¡± His mother asked, straining her neck to look up at him.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the young man admitted. ¡°There was this strange fog everywhere and it took me to places that felt both familiar and foreign at the same time.¡±
¡°Where were you taken?¡± Helga asked as she circled the tall youth, eyeing him up with a discerning gaze.
¡°At first I found myself in a forest that looked a lot like the one we go to hunt on the northern part of the island. After that, I climbed up on a cliffside and then swam towards an island.¡±
¡°And you never got to reach whatever you were looking for.¡± The priestess stated as she reached out to undo the youth¡¯s west, taking a look at the glowing tattoo on his chest.
¡°A seeker¡± she let out a strangely heavy sigh. ¡°I never thought our village would birth one of your kind.¡±
¡°A seeker,¡± Bj?rn mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that calling before.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because they are as rare as a white raven,¡± Helga¡¯s smile grew wide as she embraced Einar in a hug. ¡°You truly are a blessed child.¡±
¡°Helga,¡± Astrid looked at the priestess with a newfound apprehension. ¡°What fate was given to him by the Gods? I mean his... he changed so much.¡±
¡°A seeker is a true adventurer,¡± the woman began her explanation. ¡°They are hunters forever prowling to hunt greater and greater prey. They are the explorers who sail the oceans, their eyes searching for new things to discover. A seeker is meant to search for challenges of all kinds, growing ever stronger on their journey. That Einar was given the calling of a seeker proves that he¡¯s meant to grow far beyond our island.¡±
¡°Leave it to a priestess to be vague when you need a clear answer.¡± Bj?rn grumbled.
¡°I¡¯m well learned,¡± Helga snapped at the man. ¡°Not all-seeing. I only know what was taught to me. And besides; your son¡¯s tale is yet to be finished. Go on boy.¡±
Einar felt awkward as everyone turned towards him. He didn¡¯t know how to explain the events that happened without being seen as a madman.
¡°The fog took me away to a strange place where I met a giant. At first, it almost crushed me, but after I fought back, it just laughed and patted my head.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not all you have seen, is it?¡± The priestess asked with a knowing smile.
¡°There was another beast in the mist,¡± Einar shuddered at the memory. ¡°There was a red-scaled dragon in there. It roared at me and I roared back at it. Then it spewed fire at me, but the flames didn¡¯t hurt me. After the fire, everything disappeared and I woke up.¡±
¡°A dragon and a giant,¡± Helga mumbled. ¡°That would explain the changes that happened to you.¡±
¡°Changes?¡± Einar asked as he looked at his parents, their eyes telling nothing good. ¡°What changes?¡±
¡°For one,¡± the priestess cleared her throat. ¡°You¡¯re larger than before.¡±
¡°You¡¯re at least a head or more taller, to be honest.¡± Bj?rn sighed, looking up at his son who was now even taller than he was.
¡°Your eyes and your hair also changed somewhat. And there¡¯s also the matter of your new tattoos.¡±
¡°His new what?¡± Astrid turned towards the priestess with her voice thinned into a squeak.
¡°Bring over the mirror!¡± Helga ordered and her helpers brought over a shield-sized polished iron sheet.
¡°Take off your vest.¡± The priestess spoke and Einar did as asked, spurred on by his curiosity towards the changes of his body.
When the metal mirror arrived, the young seeker was caught off-guard by the unexpected sight. A mountain of a youth stared back at him from the mirror that had the same face as his, but nothing else. His eyes were now deep crystal blue instead of iron grey as if he was staring at a pair of faintly glowing sapphires. His pupils were slightly elongated like a cat¡¯s or a lizard¡¯s while his hair was a deep fiery red. Literally.
It looked as if small embers were smouldering between his red locks of hair. The last obvious change was the strange tattoo that now adorned his upper body. Faint red scales started to appear on his neck, growing down to the shoulder blades of his back. It was as if someone draped him in a scaled short cloak.
Book: 1 Ch. 3 The inner world
Einar reached up to touch the red scales beneath his neck but he only found human skin. It truly was only a tattoo.
¡°I look weird.¡± He admitted with a downcast gaze.
¡°You look magnificent,¡± Helga¡¯s voice reached out to him along with a gentle hand that raised his head back up a bit. ¡°The Arnessen clan was always known as the descendants of giants and you have awakened that inheritance. As for the eyes and scales of the dragon; that should be proof of your father¡¯s greatest achievement. Isn¡¯t that right, dragon hunter?¡±
¡°More like dragon survivor. It hardly counts as any sort of achievement.¡± Bj?rn scratched his beard.
¡°Injuring a fire dragon and surviving the foolish act of drinking its blood is nothing to scoff at.¡± His wife chided.
¡°That was decades ago,¡± the hunter grumbled. ¡°This is about Einar.¡±
¡°You need not to worry. The blood of the dragon awakened in him and is now every bit a part of him just as your giant ancestor¡¯s. It will only aid him in the future. But enough about that,¡± Helga waved her helpers to retreat. ¡°He must still go through the Ritual of Bestowal. Come with me.¡±
They followed the priestess to the central altar where the most important ceremonies were held.
¡°Place your earnings from the ritual of Gathering and whatever else your family wishes to offer to the gods. Let us see what they decide to bestow upon their new seeker.¡±
Einar placed the two scrap-filled mill sacks on the altar while his father put a large, folded-up hide beside the sacks.
¡°This belonged to the bear that gave you the chance to become a God-marked. It should make a fine offering. And here; I want you to also have this.¡±
The giant of a man pulled out a palm-sized greenish-brown scale from his satchel. He handed it over to his son, patting him on the shoulder.
¡°This scale was said to have come from the Great Serpent itself and it was passed down to the firstborn son in every generation. The gods should look favourably at such a treasure.¡±
¡°But...¡±
¡°Take it,¡± Bj?rn closed his son¡¯s fingers on the scale. ¡°It should be of some use.¡±
¡°Look at you two,¡± Astrid chuckled as she placed a handcrafted leather satchel on the altar. ¡°Getting sappy at a time like this. Just put the scale on top of pile and hope for the best.¡±
Einar nodded as he put the large scale beside the mill sacks and stood back.
¡°Let us begin then.¡± Helga said before she began to pray in the old language, her voice echoing everywhere as if a thousand ghosts were there to repeat every word she said.
The flames on both sides of the altar became restless, reaching high before spilling over the offered items. Everyone except the priestess stepped back out of instinct. They watched as the flames surrounded the offerings for several minutes before the priestess spoke up once again.
¡°The two of you should leave. The last part is between Einar and me. Join the rest of the people at the village hall and wait there.¡±
Astrid wanted to say something, but her husband just placed his hand on her shoulder while shaking his head. The two of them left, only Helga and the young seeker staying behind.
¡°While the gods decide what to bestow upon you, I shall teach you what you must know about your mark. It is not only a proof of your standing but an anchor to tie your spirit and body to a higher realm. It allows you, after your calling has been found, to tear away some power from the essence of other beings. From now on, whatever you kill will make you stronger."
Her words felt heavy and meaningful, but the young giant had yet to fully understand their true weight.
"You will steal a part of their very essence, earning valour for every battle or noteworthy deed which you can offer to the gods and for yourself. I will teach you how to enter into your inner world, where the source of your future power resides. In there, you will find an altar with a heraldry stone and a chest with goat skin scrolls. All of these are important, so treat them with respect.¡±
While she explained, the priestess pulled out a couple of leather scrolls from her satchel that she soon unfolded and showed to Einar.
¡°You can offer the valour you gather at your inner altar to better yourself by relying on these scrolls. Each of them will show you a star drawing that you can reform in your inner world. They will each grant you different boons. These, I believe you¡¯ll need, but they are only meant to be the beginning of your journey. You must discover the ones fated to you on your own.¡±
As the youth stared at the strange drawings, he felt something change in his very core.
¡°Good,¡± Helga nodded as she watched his reaction. ¡°Now sit down. You must clear your mind and even your breathing. Focus on drawing the power of the world to you. It should happen naturally as long as you will it.¡±
Einar tried to even his breathing, but nothing really changed after that.
¡°Close your eyes and try to shut off your stray thoughts. Just breathe.¡±
Sitting in the dark helped little to nothing as he waited. Soon his mind went a bit hazy from the deep breaths and as his thoughts waned, a sense of warmth began to spread outwards from his chest. A sense of falling got hold of him for a moment and when he opened his eyes, he sat in front of a pair of burnt-out braziers. Their light was so dim, that he couldn¡¯t see further than a few steps before everything got shrouded in pure darkness.
Einar reached towards the dying embers, a strong and bright flame waking up in their place. He covered his eyes for a moment, then he saw the darkness being pushed back step by step. It was then that he could finally see where he was. The young seeker stood in front of a crude stone altar with a large flat stone behind it. There were four small carved figures on the altar; one of them seemed to be the effigy of a warrior.
The second figurine was a carving that depicted a giant holding up a dragon with a tiny human on top of its head. As he looked at the third one, it seemed to be a tome with a sword placed on it. The fourth one was a warrior standing beside a dead creature with one of his legs stepping down on the carcass. Not knowing what the small figurines meant, Einar decided to take a closer look at the first one.
When he touched the tiny stone warrior, the flames in the braziers flared up, lashing out at the clear stone slab behind the altar. Glowing words appeared on the stone, along with a drawing that looked a bit like Einar. Ancient runes flitted by and turned into new ones that he could read properly.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.{Valour: 240}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: unknown}
{Attributes}
-
Charm:12
-
Deftness: 14
-
Divinity: 1
-
Grit: 14
-
Heart; 20
-
Luck: 10
-
Might: 25
-
Mind: 13
-
Soul: 16
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
45/39/34
It was a strange sight to behold as Einar could not understand what all of this meant. As he stared at his so-called ¡®attributes¡¯ the burning words changed on the stone slab.
{Charm}
{Charm is the measure of one¡¯s appeal and presence. You can only make a first impression once so make it count. Charm also helps one haggle for better prices or gain another¡¯s trust faster.}
{Deftness}
{Deftness improves one¡¯s overall hand-eye coordination and movement speed. A high deftness will help you dodge the enemy¡¯s attacks better. Every 5 points beyond the first 10 will also increase your ranged weapon damage by 1.}
{Divinity}
{Divinity is the proof of your belief in yourself and other higher beings. It allows you to form a stronger connection to the mystical and divine forces, so you could rise to godhood one day. Every point in divinity allows the conversion of 2 specks of valour into 1 divine essence by praying to yourself in your inner realm. You can only do so once a day. Every 5 points increases the damage of blessed weapons and divine spells by 1. Every point increases your spirit by 10.}
{Grit}
{One¡¯s willpower can help push through extreme dangers and dark influences. Every 2 points of grit beyond the first 10 will increase your resistance to charm, fear and illusions by 1. Every 5 points beyond the first 10 will increase your passive spirit regeneration by 1.}
{Heart}
{Your heart is the core of your life itself. While a tougher body lets you survive wounds that would kill a lesser man, a stronger heart will beat with more blood coursing through it. Every 5 points beyond the first 10 will strengthen your body¡¯s natural defences and increase your resistance to poison by 1 %.}
{Luck}
{Luck is behind every attack that misses you by a hair¡¯s width, or the moments when you know that you¡¯re going to fail miserably, yet miraculously succeed. It¡¯s an attribute that can only be raised if fate wills it. Every 2 points beyond the first 10 will increase your chances of successful dodging by 1%. Every point beyond the first 10 will increase your chances of finding better resources and treasures.}
{Might}
{The might of the body doesn¡¯t stop at one¡¯s muscles. It¡¯s present in every fibre of your being, including your bones, joints and sinews. Every 5 points beyond the first 10 will increase your melee damage by 1.}
{Mind}
{Having a sharp mind is a blessing when learning things. It helps you think faster and understand the deeper truths that govern the world, tapping into them more naturally. A strong mind is also necessary when one hopes to deal with mysticism. Every 2 points after the first 10 will increase your learning speed when it comes to crafts, skills and spells by 0.5 %.}
{Soul }
{The soul of a warrior is more than just superstition. It is a source of power for those who learn to harness it and the last defence against the dark forces that try to influence you with or without your knowing. It also helps forge a better connection with the world¡¯s mystical energies. Every 5 points beyond the first 10 will increase your passive spirit regeneration by 1.}
¡°So many strange new things! I must ask Helga about these later.¡± Einar huffed as he rubbed his eyes while reaching the bottom of the lengthy description.
When he looked at the three numbers that governed his future in this world, another set of short explanations appeared beside them, just to annoy him a bit further.
{Vigour}
{Vigour is the quantity of the life force coursing through one¡¯s body with every heartbeat. Every point in your might and heart attribute increases it by 1. If your vigour reaches 0 you will perish. Your vigour can only be three times that of your ¡®heart¡¯ attribute at the maximum.}
{Spirit}
{Spirit is the mystical essence used to alter the world through magic. Every point in your mind and soul attribute increases it by 1 if your soul attribute is at least 11. Your spirit can only be three times that of your ¡®soul¡¯ attribute at the maximum.}
{Fortitude }
{Every action, be it a swing of a sword or a jump in the air requires fortitude. Every point in your deftness and heart attribute increases your fortitude by 1. Your fortitude might be replenished quickly with a few breaths¡¯ worth of rest, but continuous stress and hard activities will tire you out, lowering it until you¡¯re properly rested. A high deftness attribute can lessen the cost of your physical deeds. Your fortitude can only be three times your ¡®heart¡¯ attribute.}
Seeing that nothing else appeared on the stone, Einar reached out to touch the second figurine. As soon as he did, the glowing words on the stone wall changed. The new words that appeared felt just as strange as the previous ones.
{Traits}
{Draconic inheritance}
{You have inherited the blood of dragons. This grants you both benefits and disadvantages.}
{Giant¡¯s inheritance}
{You have inherited the blood of giants. This grants you both benefits and disadvantages.}
{Golden greed}
{Due to the awakened dragon blood coursing through your veins, you will have a harder time giving up on anything that is considered valuable. Gold is particularly hard to resist.}
{Giant¡¯s might}
{Due to the awakened giant blood coursing through your veins, you tower over most people in size. Both your heart and might attributes are far above that of ordinary mortals.}
{Giant¡¯s stubbornness}
{Giants are considered one of the most stubborn races. Once you decide on something, it will be almost impossible to change your mind about it, even when you know that it¡¯s a fool¡¯s errand.}
{Unhindered growth}
{Not even the weight of the world could stop the dragons from growing the way they want to. You are capable of increasing your attributes at a rate beyond what ordinary mortals are capable of.}
When he finished reading, the words on the stone changed, as if reacting to his thoughts, new ones appearing. The newly formed descriptions were likely the second half of the previous one.
{Feats}
{Draconic hide 1}
{Your skin is naturally tougher thanks to your draconic heritage, granting you ten points of passive damage resistance.}
{Draconic pride 1}
{Dragons are naturally prideful beasts, seeing themselves as the strongest creature in the world. Those that challenge their pride shall raise their ire...}
{Fire resistance 1}
{Your awakened dragon blood grants you ten points of passive fire resistance.}
{Frost resistance 1}
{Your awakened frost giant blood grants you ten points of passive frost resistance.}
{Heavy armour proficiency}
{You are proficient in wearing heavy armour, reducing the fortitude cost of movement and general activities by ? while wearing such equipment compared to untrained people.}
{Light armour proficiency}
{You are proficient in wearing light armour, reducing the fortitude cost of movement and general activities by ? while wearing such equipment compared to untrained people.}
{Medium armour proficiency}
{You are proficient in wearing medium armour, reducing the fortitude cost of movement and general activities by ? while wearing such equipment compared to untrained people.}
{Might of the hoard}
{Dragons are known to be able to draw strength from the treasures they hoard. You can gain an increase in your attributes based on the kind of treasures you hoard for yourself once you have claimed a lair.}
Einar found it somewhat difficult to make sense of what he read so far, but the gist of it was that the dragon and giant blood in him granted him some boons and he instinctively knew how to wear armour properly.
Book: 1 Ch. 4 Einar the Seeker
The thing Einar found strange was that the description of ¡®Draconic Pride¡¯ felt incomplete. Since nothing else appeared on the stone slab, he touched the third figurine. As his fingers brushed against the small stone statuette that showed a book with a sword on it, new flames flared up on the stone wall, changing the words on it.
{Skills}
{Bare-handed}
{One¡¯s arms and legs can be mighty weapons if one knows how to use them. Each rank gained in the mastery of bare-handed fighting shall lower the effort it takes by 0.25 %. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause by 1. Every tenth rank grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 23 (beginner)}
{Progression: 12/30}
{Fortitude reduction: 5.75%}
{Harm addition: 4}
{Perks: firm grasp, firm stance}
{Reading}
{Spoken words vanish, but the written ones stay behind. You can read writings in the common language. Each rank increases the fluidness of your reading.}
{Rank: 1(beginner)}
{Progression: 17/20}
{Writing}
{Spoken words vanish, but the written ones stay behind. You can write in the common language. Each rank increases your writing speed and the readability of your handwriting.}
{Rank: 1 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 14/20}
The young giant had to admit that he wasn¡¯t a scholarly type, but it felt somewhat humiliating to see how low his skill in reading and writing was deemed. His only other skill recorded was about fighting without weapons and even that was deemed to be on the level of a beginner. For some reason, he knew that if he did things that would require some kind of a skill, those would be recorded here. With nothing else to look at, he tried to will the words on the stone to change, which showed lacklustre results. Only a few symbols appeared on the top of the stone slab, leaving the rest of it empty.
{Rituals and spells}
With nothing to see, he turned his gaze toward the small statue. The last figurine that depicted a warrior with its foot on the corpse of its fallen enemy made the altar reveal a new set of symbols with an obvious meaning.
{Bestiary}
{Black bear}
Charm:5-6
Deftness: 10-12
Divinity: 0
Grit: 11-13
Heart; 14-16
Luck: 10-11
Might: 15-18
Mind: 4-7
Soul: 5-7
It showed him a drawing of the beast he killed along with a short note on the range its attributes could take. With all four of the figurines checked, the young seeker decided to look around a bit in this strange place. As he walked around the altar, he found a neatly carved small wooden chest behind it with several rolled-up sheep skins inside. ¡®These must be the star charts.¡¯ He said to himself as he picked up one of them to check.
It depicted a simple drawing of what he believed to be a dragon. Fiddling around with the scrolls he felt a shard of knowledge run through his mind, telling him that it would take three thousand valour for him to use one of the lesser star charts while it would cost him four thousand to activate his ancestral stars. After putting it back, Einar continued to look around, but he found nothing else. The youth sat back down and closed his eyes, trying to leave the way he got there. When he next opened his eyes, he was back at the shrine of the village.
¡°I see you made it back,¡± Helga greeted him. ¡°And quite fast as well.¡±
¡°Those figurines and the...¡±
¡°Time and experience will answer your questions,¡± the priestess cut into his words. ¡°I¡¯m only allowed to help you with your first steps. Now come! The gods seem to have decided on what to bestow upon you.¡±
Einar let out a dejected sigh as he stood back up, turning toward the altar where the furious fire was fast receding, a wide assortment of items appearing from beneath the flames.
¡°These...¡±
¡°They are yours and yours alone,¡± Helga waved him closer. ¡°Don your arms and armour. Let the people at the feast see the seeker born on our island in all his might!¡±
The young giant stepped beside the altar, his fingers running across the surface of his new kit. He gazed at the chest piece that seemed to have been made of boiled leather with a pair of pauldrons. It had a large, layered and riveted piece that would protect him all the way down to the bottom of his ribcage and his side with the part at the stomach made to resemble scales.
There was a thick leather girdle-like piece with a belt going through it with a layered leather tasset. Both the bracers and greaves were made out of leather that was reinforced with iron plates or splints. Grey fur poked out from beneath the breastplate here and there with chain mail beneath the armpits, suggesting that it would be able to keep him warm and protected.
A small black fur mantle came with the armour that fit him well, sticking to his armour and back as if held there by invisible hands. The boots looked simple and the gloves only protected the first finger joints, but he still looked intimidating once he put all of these on. Strangely enough, he found no helmet amongst the armour pieces.
Beneath the armour was a medium-sized leather belt pouch with a serpent carved on its front, forming a circle as it bit into its own tail. When Einar grabbed it, his eyes glazed over as a dark and empty room appeared in front of his vision.
¡°Breathe,¡± he heard Helga¡¯s voice as a gentle hand grabbed his shoulder. ¡°It seems the Gods looked favourably upon your offerings if they decided to grant you such a treasure. Now close your mind away from what you see.¡±
As if guided by her voice, the young seeker¡¯s vision shifted back into the real world he stood in.
¡°What is this?¡± He asked from the priestess as he held the pouch towards her.
¡°It has many names, but most would call it a ¡®World Eater¡¯ pouch. As you have felt first-hand, it has an enormous inner space. It will only ever hold what you decide to place there and only you can reach into it. Always keep it on you.¡±
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¡°How do I use it?¡±
¡°Like you would use any pouch. Open it to place and retrieve items from it.¡±
Einar nodded as he put the pouch on the left side of his belt before looking at the weapons lying on the altar. A sheathed seax knife and a pair of short-handled axes met his gaze first. The axes had long bearded edges on one side with a thumb-sized and slightly downward bent spike on the other one. Once the knife found a place on his belt and he put the axes in his ¡®world eater¡¯ pouch, the seeker looked at the last of his boons.
A sheathed blade lay before him unlike any he had ever seen before. It was slightly shorter than his forearm, but just as wide as his palm. It had a simple-looking leather sheath, along with a hilt similar to the foreign sword he once saw in the local blacksmith¡¯s shop. Unlike the short and stocky hilts he was used to seeing, this one had a thumb-long cross guard with a handle that could be held in two hands.
The grip was covered with a dark red leather strip. Both the ends of the cross guards and the pommel were made to look like roughly carved dragon heads with their mouths slightly open. Einar kept looking at the weapon with his eyebrows raised as the priestess urged him on.
¡°Go ahead,¡± she said. ¡°Unsheathe it!¡±
The seeker finally stepped forward, grabbing the sheath with his left hand while the hilt with his right. He pulled at it, drawing it free in one long motion as he felt the weight in his hand increase. Much to his surprise, he drew out a nearly four-foot-long sword of the small sheath that was as wide as his palm. It was roughly hammered, dotted with small rusty spots at places, but it was still an imposing weapon.
¡°A fine blade,¡± Helga spoke as she stepped away from the shrine. ¡°It will serve you well in the future. For now, you should get going. The feast is about to start.¡±
¡°Will you join us as well?¡± The seeker asked as he slid the giant sword back into the small sheath that swallowed it back without any sign of straining.
¡°Later,¡± the priestess nodded. ¡°I still have matters to attend to.¡±
¡°See you later then,¡± Einar said goodbye while putting the sword¡¯s sheath on his belt. ¡°And thank you!¡±
The well-walked path through the village felt different from earlier. The colours and shapes felt sharper than before and so did the smells and sounds. Einar revelled in the new sensations as he hurried along the torch-lit cobblestone path towards the village¡¯s main longhouse that served as the location of the feast. Loud laughter and music could be heard even from a distance, becoming louder with every step he took. A pair of guards sat outside with mugs of mead in one hand, and roasted meat in the other.
¡°Halt,¡± one of them spoke as he noticed a giant figure approaching them, but he soon became more surprised than wary. ¡°Einar; is that you lad?¡±
¡°Surprised?¡± He asked with a smirk.
¡°Damn, lad! You look even more terrifying than your father now.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be glad to hear that.¡±
The giant youth opened the door after nodding at the guards and bent down so that he could get through the doorway. The inside of the longhouse was filled to the brim with merrily drinking and eating people, not leaving a step of free space to move about. As he entered, the seeker could only take a step or two before being discovered. The music died down as everyone turned towards him, those beside him backing away. After a moment of awkward silence, one of the warriors raised his drinking horn while roaring.
¡°Einar the seeker!¡± The man yelled with the rest of the crowd following his example.
Everyone tried to get near the youth to pat him on the back and congratulate him as he was led to the main table where the rest of the God-marked sat as a sign of their importance in the celebration.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± Gunnar grumbled as the youth sat down. ¡°We started to think you¡¯ll keep Helga at the shrine all night.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that easy to keep me against my will.¡± A familiar voice resounded as the priestess appeared from the crowd, taking her seat at the main table.
¡°So it would seem,¡± the jarl nodded. ¡°Now that all of the God-marked are present, the celebration can truly begin.¡±
Everyone in the longhouse raised their tankards and drinking horns as they cheered.
¡°But before that,¡± Gunnar waved them silent. ¡°A messenger bird arrived a few hours ago. It brought news that concern everyone present. One of the king¡¯s ships is on its way here and it should arrive in five days. Four, if the weather favours them. Although I don¡¯t know the reason for this, but the message was clear. They asked us to present all of the younger God-marked.¡±
Silence reigned in the longhouse after the announcement as everyone kept staring at the nearly dozen people at the great table.
¡°Are they planning a new raid on the eastern isles?¡± One of the warriors asked after a minute of heavy silence.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the jarl admitted. ¡°But even if they do, we can¡¯t deny the king¡¯s order.¡±
¡°Guessing about the future will only darken the present,¡± Helga spoke up, earning everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Today we celebrate. Let¡¯s leave the worrying for tomorrow.¡±
Her words rang true and the people agreed with her sentiment as the music returned to the longhouse. Tankards got filled and laughter resounded once again.
¡°Celebrate lightly,¡± Einar heard Helga¡¯s voice in his head. ¡°The king¡¯s envoy never comes without good reason.¡±
The young seeker looked at the other end of the long table where his eyes met with the priestess¡¯ gaze as her lips quivered.
¡°I have a task for you and with it, an opportunity. Meet me near the forest at the edge of the village tomorrow just before sunrise. Bring at least three day¡¯s worth of food with you. Do you understand?¡±
He nodded without a word, earning a smile from the priestess before she continued.
¡°Good. The task will be dangerous, so prepare well. Now eat. There¡¯s plenty to taste and enjoy. You¡¯ll have to say no to young Kari¡¯s charms though. You¡¯ll need all of your strength for what lies ahead of you.¡±
With that, Helga stood up, whispering something to Gunnar before she left the longhouse. Einar had no time to wonder about the mysterious task as a soft voice called out to him.
¡°Congratulations,¡± Kari spoke with a charming smile. ¡°Your mother said you changed after receiving a calling from the gods, but I never thought you would be so....¡±
¡°Weird?¡± Einar asked as he accepted the mug of honey mead she offered.
¡°Pretty,¡± she muttered as her face flushed red. ¡°I wanted to say pretty. Your eyes and hair look so strange yet beautiful.¡±
¡°Him, pretty?¡± A mocking voice cut into their talk as Ingrid walked closer, her brother in tow. ¡°He became an even bigger oaf than he was before, not to mention those creepy eyes.¡±
¡°At least he didn¡¯t become stupider than before, unlike a certain someone,¡± One of the older God-marked said at the end of the table. ¡°You already tempted fate once. Don¡¯t push it, Ingrid.¡±
¡°It¡¯s different now,¡± she straightened her stance. ¡°I¡¯m a shield-maiden now and Haftor is a reaver.¡±
¡°We are true God-marked warriors,¡± Ingrid¡¯s brother puffed his chest with pride. ¡°What is he; a seeker? That¡¯s nothing but a glorified scout.¡±
¡°Seekers are not glorified scouts,¡± Gunnar spoke with a heavy tone that made his offsprings shudder. ¡°They are knowledge and treasure hunters that often serve as either the king¡¯s or the gods¡¯ hunting wolves and executioners. The envoy sailing here with the high king¡¯s orders is also a seeker.¡±
Gunnar¡¯s words made both Haftor and Ingrid swallow hard. They looked at their father and then Einar before the jarl spoke up once again.
¡°Sit down on your arses and don¡¯t utter another word tonight. I already had to pay a small sack of silver for the foolish feat you two pulled yesterday. I¡¯m not going to pay a second time. As for you Einar; you ought to get going. Helga told you to rest, so rest!¡±
The giant youth nodded before drinking out the honey mead from his tankard and turning towards the door.
Book: 1 Ch. 5 The trial of the mountain
Einar pushed through the celebrating crowd with Kari following behind him.
¡°Einar,¡± she spoke up once they were out of the door guards¡¯ hearing distance. ¡°Your parents are still in the longhouse and so is grandma. Maybe...¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry Kari,¡± the young seeker stopped her from finishing her sentence. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±
¡°But why? I thought...¡±
¡°I want to,¡± Einar sighed. ¡°I really do, but after the Jarl¡¯s announcement, Helga told me that she wanted me to meet her tomorrow before sunrise.¡±
¡°But then we...¡±
¡°She was clear that I needed to be well rested and well prepared for the task ahead. She pretty much ordered me to say no to your ¡®charms¡¯ tonight, no matter how much I want to say yes.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± Kari lowered her gaze, knowing that Einar was far too honest to make up something like that on his own. ¡°I guess this is goodnight then.¡±
The young woman tried to walk away, but she nearly fell after tripping. Einar caught her with one hand, taking a better look at her flushed expression.
¡°How much honey mead did you have?¡±
¡°I,¡± she looked away flustered. ¡°Three mugs, maybe.¡±
¡°Trying to gain some courage?¡± He asked as he lifted the petite girl, carrying her in his arms.
¡°I had to,¡± Kari answered as she rested her head on his chest, enjoying the soft touch of the fur mantle. ¡°You¡¯re a God-marked now. Ingrid might like to talk down to you, but I¡¯ve seen the stares you got from the other girls of the village.¡±
¡°And I¡¯ve seen the way the other lads keep looking at you. Especially your behind.¡±
¡°Haftor proposed to me a few days ago,¡± she sighed bitterly as they neared the healer¡¯s home. ¡°He then called me a stupid wench when I told him that I like someone else.¡±
¡°I guess I now have another reason to split him in half.¡± Einar noted as his eyes glowed up in the dark of the night.
¡°He¡¯s still the Jarl¡¯s son. But let¡¯s not talk about him.¡±
The young giant was about to put down the girl when she threw her arms around his neck.
¡°Promise me that you will be careful tomorrow,¡± she whispered into his ear. ¡°Whatever task the head priestess planned for you will most likely be dangerous. Promise me!¡±
¡°I promise.¡± Einar nodded, earning a gentle, honey-sweet kiss on his lips.
¡°Goodnight, Einar the seeker.¡± Kari chuckled as she slipped out of his grasp and hurried inside the house, nearly tripping. Twice.
The youth let out a disheartened sigh while watching the young woman rush inside before he turned around to leave. The journey home was silent and uneventful, ending with a bucket of water to be used to scrub off the sweat and dirt before falling into his bed. Sleep came easily and the rooster¡¯s cry arrived fast. A heavy groan later the young seeker got out of his bed, donning clean clothes and his armour before heading over to the pantry.
¡°Your mother is still asleep,¡± a gruff voice resounded from behind him. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for breakfast.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Einar said as he shoved a couple of apples a piece of cheese and a sausage into his world eater satchel along with some slightly stiff bread. ¡°Priestess Helga is waiting for me at the forest¡¯s edge.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± Bj?rn walked closer to get a better look at his son. ¡°Is that why you slept here instead of staying at the old crone¡¯s house?¡±
The young giant just grumbled as an answer before turning towards his father.
¡°Stay safe,¡± Bj?rn patted him on the shoulder. ¡°And stay vigilant. Don¡¯t get overconfident just because you are a God-marked now.¡±
¡°I know.¡± Einar nodded before catching his father in a bear hug.
The way towards the edge of the village was a silent one since most of the locals were either still asleep or dealing with their morning chores. At the line where the village ended and the old forest was starting to take hold, Einar noticed a familiar figure waiting for him. Helga stood beneath a large tree, her hand on its trunk as she listened to the sound of the forest.
¡°I¡¯m glad you could make it here so early,¡± the priestess said as she turned around. ¡°Your task is quite time-consuming, so it¡¯s best if you can start early.¡±
¡°And a good morning to you as well,¡± the youth nodded. ¡°What exactly is this task I¡¯m supposed to do?¡±
¡°See the mountain over there?¡± Helga pointed at the distant snow-capped mound. ¡°There¡¯s an abandoned settlement on it. I want you to go there.¡±
¡°What do you need from there?¡± Einar interrogated the priestess.
¡°I don¡¯t need anything from there. You on the other hand do. There¡¯s a shrine there that was once meant to be a trial ground for newly anointed God-marked.¡±
Here she pulled out a carved yellow crystal figurine the size of Einar¡¯s fist from her satchel and handed it over.
¡°The trial ground is like an arena with a tree and an altar on one end. There should be a wall there where the villagers used to hang drinking horns as a sign of respect. Take one and place it where the altar allows before adding a few drops of your blood into it. Then you must place the effigy on the altar as well. Once these two are done, your trial will begin.¡±
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¡°What will I have to fight against in this arena?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the priestess shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s different for everyone, but I know that there are nine rounds. You¡¯ll first have to reach it though. From what the hunters told me before, the ancient dead have been seen roaming about there recently.¡±
¡°Draugrs?¡±
¡°Do not fight them,¡± the woman said as she walked with him toward the forest path. ¡°Try to reach the trial ground without killing any of them.¡±
¡°But why?¡± Einar couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.
¡°The trial will either draw any nearby beast and monster towards its centre or conjure them from the darker planes. The draugr should be a decent warm-up for you and it might be enough to get you through a round or two.¡±
¡°I see. I¡¯ll try not to get into a fight with them ahead of time then.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Helga nodded. ¡°Now run. You should hurry and return as soon as possible.¡±
Einar nodded at the priestess as a form of silent farewell before he headed out with hastened steps. It felt strange to run through the forest. He did it many times before when he was chasing his prey, but this time it was different. His movements were faster yet smoother than before, not to mention that he could make out more of the small details of the forest around him even while running.
More than an hour of running later he finally tired himself out enough to slow down and continue at a walking pace. The trees around him were now thick enough to need three men to encircle them and they were double the height of the ones at the edge of the forest. He could hear the howling of wolves in the distance, but nothing near where he was.
A small deer ran along not far ahead with a couple of birds singing on the trees. The entire forest felt peaceful. A quarter of an hour later the young seeker rested up enough that he could continue running along the age-old path. Einar switched between running and walking throughout the rest of the day, eating and drinking some when it was needed. By the time the sun was about to reach the distant trees, the mountain seemed to be quite close. ¡®I should be able to reach it in a few more hours, but it¡¯s about to get dark. I need a fire.¡¯ He thought as he began to grab dried sticks along the path as he walked.
Half an hour later the darkness caught up with him, only to be pushed back by the light of the small campfire he made beside the path beneath an old tree¡¯s cover. Although the young seeker enjoyed the slight night breeze, a campfire was still necessary to keep the beasts away while he was sleeping. A meagre dinner later Einar put some more wood on the fire before lying down on the ground beside it. Sleep came easily to the young giant, only waking up much later to the sound of the nearby branches cracking. He stirred fast and drew his weapon, scaring away a rabbit in the process.
With sleep gone from his eyes, Einar packed up after looking up at the waning moon. ¡®The sun will rise in an hour or so.¡¯ The seeker thought as he trampled out the embers of his campfire after a quick breakfast, heading out along the faded forest path. Rushing through the dark forest felt exciting, the first rays of the morning sun showing him at the foot of the mountain. There was a broken path up on the side of the ridges, but even Einar found it hard to traverse it.
More often than not, the path was either blocked by rock slides or it broke off, leaving large gaps where he found it safer to climb rather than to jump. The sun got high in the sky as he reached the snow-dotted entrance of the abandoned village ruins Helga told him about. Several shambling figures caught his attention as he got closer. ¡®Draugr.¡¯ He thought as he watched the ghastly creatures walk around aimlessly.
They looked human enough from afar, but as he sneaked closer, the youth managed to take a better look at them. The skin of the draugrs was dry and rough, sticking to their frame like dry bark. It was cracked in places, a black ooze sleeping through the cracks. A pale blue mixed into the ooze that glowed with a faint light. Their eyes were lifeless and foggy, but the same faint light shined behind them as the one that mixed into their putrid blood.
They wore age-old mouldy clothes and armour along with rust-spotted weapons. Einar tried his best to sneak through the ruined village, but he found more and more draugr shambling about. When the trial ground came into view, the young giant felt relieved for a moment, but a growling sound from his left side brought him back to his senses. One of the ordinary clothes-wearing draugrs noticed him, growling and stumbling as it tried to reach him.
¡®Damn it!¡¯ He cursed inwardly as more of the monstrosities noticed the growling of their fellow risen dead. Einar broke into a run as he zigzagged through the increasing number of undead, reaching the shrine with dozens of monsters shambling behind him. The seeker tore off a drinking horn from the nearby wall while running, drawing his knife to prick his left thumb. He forced a few drops of his blood into the horn while taking out the crystal effigy, placing both on the altar.
A powerful gale burst out of the altar, pushing back the draugr outside the ring of stones. A wall of rippling light appeared between the carved stone pillars and Einar could breathe up a little. He looked at the leafless tree that grew right behind the altar, its branches looming above it like dried-out hands. A growl snapped Einar out of his musings and as he turned around, he saw a single draugr wearing peasant clothes push through the rippling wall of mystical energy.
¡®Round one.¡¯ The seeker understood the situation as he drew his sword to meet the incoming enemy. He imagined that his weapon would have some problem against the dried-out body of the monster, but as he swung the blade with full force, it cleaved through the draugr in one go. The split-apart corpse fell on the floor, but it kept on crawling towards him even though it was cut in half just below its ribs. Einar stabbed it in the skull and twisted the blade sideways, ending the monster¡¯s existence. He watched aghast as the corpse went still, melting into a dark liquid that flowed along the carved grooves of the trial ground towards the altar.
As it vanished behind it, a chestnut-sized pink fruit grew on one of the branches of the ancient tree. The young giant however didn¡¯t have time to be amazed as a pair of draugr made their way into the small ritual arena. ¡®Round two, I guess.¡¯ He thought as he readied himself, swinging his weapon into the sword of the nearby draugr. The giant¡¯s blade bit into the rusty short sword before it lodged itself in his opponent¡¯s shoulder.
¡®Damn!¡¯ Einar growled as he had to dodge the other abomination¡¯s attack before stomping the draugr in the stomach while yanking his sword free. A few more heavy swings took care of the undead duo that soon turned into black goo like the previous one. Another colourful fruit grew on a different branch while four more draugr entered the trial ground.
¡®This might get troublesome if there¡¯s no rest between fights.¡¯ He mused as he swung his sword at his enemies. Time after time the draugr were allowed into the trial ground in increasing numbers, only to be defeated by the young giant. ¡®Finally.¡¯ Einar sighed as the last risen dead of the fifth round fell and the fifth fruit appeared on the branch of the tree. Even though the draugr were slower than the living, they were both fearless and tireless.
Einar had a few cuts and bruises, despite his increasing skill in wielding his new sword and fending off his enemies. His respite didn¡¯t last long as he felt the ground tremble slightly before black smoke seeped out of the stone floor. A dirty rag-covered hand burst out of the patches of pitch-black smoke, jagged claws on each finger. The hands continued in dark and festering arms, a terrifying head and misshapen body.
¡°What in Harald¡¯s name is that?¡± Einar stuttered as he watched the human-like monster crawl out of the shield-sized smoke patch on the ground.
It looked at him with glowing red eyes, releasing a blood-chilling scream as it rushed towards him with great speed. The young seeker felt his muscles tense under the weight of the dreadful scream, but he managed to push through it, taking a swing at the abomination. His blade reached the front of the creature, slashing it across from the left shoulder down to its right leg.
The cut was deep, spilling black blood and innards as he split the monster open. It fell back on the ground trashing about, its wound slowly closing up. ¡®Just die already!¡¯ He roared as he beheaded the abomination, panting more due to the strain on his nerves than from being tired.
Book: 1 Ch. 6 Rewards and returning home
As the headless wretch turned into the familiar black liquid that allowed the tree to grow its sixth fruit, a new pair of creatures climbed out of the shadowy smoke patches. ¡®Harald watch over me!¡¯ Einar prayed as the seventh round began, the pair of frenzied abominations attacking in unison. They fought hard, leaving plenty of claw marks on the seeker¡¯s armour before going down. The eighth round was worse, but the final one was the worst. Einar was riddled with cuts and small stab wounds where the wretches managed to sink their claws into the unprotected areas.
A large gash was bleeding on his left cheek as he ended the last monstrosity. He spat blood on the ground as he watched the ninth fruit rapidly grow on the tree¡¯s branch above the altar. When it grew to its full size, the branches shuddered and the nine fruits snapped off. They didn¡¯t fall on the ground however as an invisible force made them float above the drinking horn where they formed a circle. One by one the fruits got squashed by the mystical force, their glowing juices flowing into the horn. As the last fruit turned into a dried-out pulp, the drinking horn lit up with a myriad of colours.
An unexplainable thirst took hold of Einar as he shambled over to the altar and picked up the horn. Inside it, a light red liquid churned with a faint golden mist swirling above it. The young seeker raised the horn to his mouth and drank it empty in one go. A soothing warmth flowed through his body as his wounds healed without leaving a single scar behind. Einar felt something change in him as if he was now more than he was in every way possible. It was a strange yet welcome sensation. A clattering sound snapped him out of the comfortable sensation as the dried fruits fell on the altar, crumbling into dust, each leaving a tiny glowing seed behind.
¡®Perhaps Helga will want these.¡¯ He thought as he put the seeds into his world eater pouch along with the horn he decided to keep as a trophy of the day¡¯s battle. With the trial now over, the village became eerily quiet. The seeker let out a sigh as he put away the crystal effigy before taking a better look at the surrounding ruins. Despite his best efforts, he only found broken pottery and tools. There was nothing of value left behind, making the village a barren land of death. He shook his head, dismissing his greed as he headed back down the mountain path. By the time he reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was close to vanishing from the sky so Einar decided to make use of the light he still had, bursting into a mad run back towards the village.
The darkness of the night caught up with him a good hour later as he finally stopped to make a small fire beside the path. As the flames brightened the forest around him, the young giant decided to climb up onto the tree near the fire. Although he hoped that the fire would keep any of the bored animals away, he didn¡¯t want to risk being attacked while he entered his inner world. Einar felt like he was drifting in the void for a moment before he opened his eyes, the braziers and the stone altar greeting him. He walked closer, touching the small stone figure that depicted a warrior and bright amber words appeared on the stone slab in front of him.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 240}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: unknown}
{Attributes}
-
Charm:13
-
Deftness: 17
-
Divinity: 2
-
Grit: 15
-
Heart; 21
-
Luck: 11
-
Might: 26
-
Mind: 14
-
Soul: 17
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
51/51/45
Looking at his attributes explained why he felt different from before. It seemed that drinking the strange nectar he earned through the trial increased all of his attributes by one, although his deftness had risen by three. ¡®Nine fruits for the nine attributes.¡¯ The youth thought as he touched the figurine depicting the book and the sword. As the list of his skills appeared, he found new ones recorded.
{Climbing}
{A warrior must know how to reach his opponents, no matter how high they might be. Every fifth level will increase your fortitude and your vigour by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 9 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 7/10}
{Fortitude increase: 1}
{Vigour increase: 1}
{Perks:}
{Running}
{A warrior must know when to run and when to stay still. Every fifth level will increase your fortitude by 2 and your vigour by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 16(beginner)}
{Rank progression: 7/20}
{Fortitude increase: 6}
{Deftness increase: 1}
{Vigour increase: 3}
{Perks: firm pace,}
{Sword mastery}
{The path of the sword is narrow and sharp, yet long and gruelling. Wield your blade with skill and determination. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 18 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 19/20}
{Deftness increase: 1}
{Harm addition: 3}
{Perks: firm grasp}
The three new skills all had their obvious uses, and the additional fortitude and vigour were also noteworthy. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t far from reaching the tenth level of mastery in climbing, Einar decided to later spend some time practicing on the nearby trees. ¡®Increasing my deftness seems to bring a lot of benefits.¡¯ He thought as he touched the stone figure depicting a warrior stepping on his fallen enemies. As he did so, three new records appeared on the stone wall, depicting the monsters he had to face that day.
{Bestiary}
{Draugr peasant}
Charm:2-3
Deftness: 6-9
Divinity: 1
Grit: 6-7
Heart; 7-8
Luck: 3-5
Might: 4-7
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.Mind: 2-4
Soul: 2-3
{Draugr warrior}
Charm:2-3
Deftness: 7-11
Divinity: 1
Grit: 6-9
Heart; 7-10
Luck: 4-6
Might: 6-12
Mind: 4-5
Soul: 3-4
{Netherworld wretch}
Charm1-2
Deftness: 8-14
Divinity: 3
Grit: 7-11
Heart; 9-14
Luck: 4-6
Might: 9-15
Mind: 5-7
Soul: 6-8
¡®They were formidable foes, especially in larger numbers. Although it¡¯s strange that I wouldn¡¯t get any valour after defeating them, but it was likely part of my offering to the Gods overseeing the trial.¡¯ Einar figured as he sat down, ready to leave his inner world, the air shifting for a moment as his sight darkened. The next moment when he opened his eyes again, he was sitting on the tree he climbed up on. Remembering his previous decision, the young giant climbed off, only to climb up onto a different tree.
He repeated the process several times before he felt a slight shiver run along his spine. His grip suddenly felt a bit firmer, his movements more fluid and somewhat faster. ¡®I guess that does it.¡¯ The youth hummed to himself as he returned to the small campfire. After eating some of his dwindling food supplies, he put more wood on the fire and lay down to sleep. By the time he woke up again, a faint light could be seen on the edge of the distant horizon. ¡®Time to go.¡¯ He thought as he stomped out the remaining embers of the fire.
His camping gear got packed away in a minute and Einar began to run along the path with all of his might. Hours went by with only the sounds of the forest accompanying him with the occasional birds and deer he scared away. The sun was already falling when he reached the entrance of the village, large beads of sweat rolling down his face and beneath his armour. His first goal was to head over to the shrine and talk to Helga.
¡°Welcome back,¡± the priestesses greeted him without even turning around. ¡°You have returned sooner than I expected.¡±
¡°I was running a lot.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Helga nodded as she turned around, a slight grimace on her face. ¡°I can smell it.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± Einar stepped back awkwardly as he sniffed himself. ¡°I do stink a bit.¡±
¡°I smelled worse. Now come; tell me what happened at the trial.¡±
The young giant sat down on a stump chair and recalled the ordeals he had to face. Helga listened to his tale while nodding from time to time. When he was done, the priestess let out a relieved sigh.
¡°I¡¯m glad to hear everything went well. As for those seeds and the horn; give them to me. I know exactly what to do with them.¡±
Einar reached into his world eater pouch and retrieved the simple horn along with the seeds. The priestesses took them and headed toward the shrine where he gained his bound arms and armour.
¡°Bring me a handful of camomile, rosemary and thyme!¡± She called out to one of her helpers in the near distance.
A bit after the priestess and Einar reached the shrine, the young woman brought over the requested herbs.
¡°These horns have a ceremonial function, but that¡¯s not all they were meant for. Once a God-marked proved themselves, the horns were meant to be offered to the gods the same way one offered their earnings from the ritual of the Gathering.¡±
As she explained this, the woman placed the horn and a pair of bronze coins onto the middle of the primitive altar, forming a circle around it from the faintly glowing seeds and the herbs her helper brought over. Helga began to pray in the old language, the flames of the brazier heeding her words as they washed over the offered items, devouring them completely. A good minute later the flames receded, revealing a horn that looked a lot different from the one before. It now sported a wide bronze rim on the opened part and a bronze cap at its pointy end. The circle around the top had nine tiny colourful stones embedded into it. Although they were cloudy and unpolished, they still drew in the young giant¡¯s gaze.
¡°There,¡± the priestess nodded in approval. ¡°Always carry it with you and take good care of it. In exchange, it will take care of you as well.¡±
Einar looked at the drinking horn with a puzzled expression, earning a slight chuckle from Helga.
¡°Don¡¯t be so cautious lad,¡± she smiled. ¡°The horn was blessed by the gods and now possesses great power. Remember how it fed on those fruits to create the blessed nectar?¡±
Her question earned a slight nod, prompting her to keep explaining her thoughts.
¡°There are many similar precious plants and treasures out there. Feed them to the horn and it shall turn them into blessed nectar for you.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Einar nodded as he took the horn, a newfound respect evident in his eyes.
¡°That¡¯s not all it can do,¡± the priestess continued. ¡°Feed herbs and the like to it and it will create you a nectar that would heal you, or replenish your strength and spirit. The stones on the horn will glow with different colours depending on what it absorbed.¡±
¡°Should I keep a few flasks with me to collect the healing nectar?¡± The youth asked, but Helga just shook her head.
¡°The horn will stay empty until you call upon its gifts. It will then fill itself for you to drink. But remember; this treasure is weak like all you were given by the gods. It¡¯s up to you to grow its power.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Einar nodded. ¡°Thank you, for everything.¡±
¡°I only do what is ordained. Now go home. Your parents are surely worried about you and you need to rest. I feel that the ship sent by the king carries news that will bring a great change. We should prepare for what is to come.¡±
The young giant nodded at the advice before saying goodbye and heading home. The sun already vanished from the sky by the time he got home, but he still found everyone awake.
¡°Einar!¡± He heard everyone call out to him as his mother and his younger siblings rushed over to hug him.
¡°By the Gods,¡± his mother stepped back near immediately. ¡°You reek of sweat. I''ll get some water into the tub for you.¡±
¡°She was quite worried in these past days,¡± his father walked closer, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Where were you off to, lad?¡±Einar sat down beside the table, his sister bringing some leftover food for him as he told them the events of the past days, trying to make it sound like an adventure instead of a bloody trial.
¡°The water is ready,¡± a soft voice resounded as his mother appeared from the nearby room. ¡°Go wash yourself, then go to bed. You look like you could fall over any moment.¡±
The young giant headed over to the room where the tub of water was and began to strip off his armour. With his size he could barely sit into the large wooden tub, making it both awkward and difficult to wash down. By the time Einar finished, his younger brother brought over some clean clothes for him and he soon found his way into his room as well. Sleep caught him fast, the night rushing by in what felt like a moment. The sound of the rooster was familiar yet unpleasant as Einar woke up purely out of instinct. He reigned in his wavy hair, tying it at the back with a leather strip and left his room towards the kitchen, finding his parents already there.
¡°Morning.¡± He said between yawns.
¡°Morning, son.¡± The response came along with a plate that had some smoked fish, some cheese and a slice of bread on it.
¡°So,¡± his father spoke up while eating. ¡°What did you plan to do today?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t made any plans yet.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Bj?rn nodded. ¡°Then you can follow mine. Whenever the High King wants to gather God-marked, it always becomes messy. I know you¡¯re a capable fighter, but you¡¯re a God-marked now. Things will be different for you from now on. We¡¯ll spend the morning training. Eat up and let¡¯s go.¡±
Einar found it better to follow his father¡¯s plans since the man survived five raids with the previous king¡¯s warriors. After finishing his breakfast the youth followed Bj?rn to the edge of the village where they stopped at the side of the river.
Book: 1 Ch. 7 The messenger of the High King
Bj?rn looked at the chest-deep water where a raft was floating and turned towards his son.
¡°We will practice there. It will help you learn how to better your balance on a moving ship. After that, you will be swimming upwards the river for a good hour or so as well.¡±
¡°What for?¡± The young giant couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.
¡°Your ship might sink, or they might order you to swim over to the enemy. You must learn how to swim even with your armour on. Come on, the sun is rising.¡±
The two climbed up on the tied-out raft, drawing their weapons. In the following hours Einar was sent into the river several times, his father easily besting him despite the difference in their strength.
¡°Alright,¡± Bj?rn said after his son finally managed to scratch the man¡¯s armour. ¡°You finally got the hang of it. Now sheathe your sword and get into the water.¡±
¡°Swimming?¡±
¡°Like your life depended on it.¡± His father nodded.
The youth got off the raft and began to swim, moving forward at a slow pace against the roiling river.
¡°Give it your all,¡± Bj?rn yelled after him. ¡°You will never catch up with even a fishing boat if you keep swimming like that.¡±
Einar stopped for a few moments, floating down the river before he started swimming again, pushing himself as much as possible to move faster. Again and again, he swam up the river and then floated down to start again. He only stopped to rest for a few minutes, his muscles burning from the exertion.
¡°That¡¯s about enough,¡± Bj?rn called out to his son after watching him swim for a good hour. ¡°You will have to continue training while on the sea. Come on lad, your mother has already been here to call us home.¡±
¡°I¡¯m starving.¡± Einar stated as he left the river.
¡°I bet you are.¡±
The two headed home, the young giant squelching with every step as his soaked clothes kept dripping water along the way. As soon as they entered the house, his mother called out to him.
¡°Go and dry yourself before you get sick.¡±
¡°Come now, Astrid. He¡¯s a God-marked.¡±
¡°Those can get sick too.¡± The woman retorted before shooing her son away.
After a short fight with a towel, the young giant donned a set of dry and warm clothes before joining his family at the table. Plenty of roasted meat from the forest and fresh fish from the sea filled the table along with fresh bread and a bowl of still steaming soup. Einar ate from everything he could get his hands on, but the sound of a distant horn made him stop.
¡°That¡¯s the coast watcher¡¯s horn,¡± Bj?rn remarked. ¡°Something happened at the harbour.¡±
¡°The king¡¯s ship?¡± His son guessed.
¡°Most likely. Finish your food. We should go and see what¡¯s going on.¡±
No one had to say it twice as the youth quickly wolfed down the rest of his plate¡¯s contents in a minute.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bj?rn said, still awed by his son¡¯s appetite.
Astrid put away the empty plates before joining her husband and son, taking the younger children along for the walk. They could see several other families heading towards the harbour where the village¡¯s ships were moored. An imposing vessel could be seen nearing the harbour, gliding across the sea with ease. A crowned wolf¡¯s head decorated its sails while a large iron hull breaker was fastened to the front of the ship.
By the time the Arnessen family reached the port a sizeable crowd gathered to greet the arriving ship. Gunnar stood at the forefront with his men, several elders and Helga joining him. As the ship neared the dock, its sails were pulled up and a long rope was thrown forward. The ship got tied out and nearly a dozen armour-clad warriors got off, led by a man whose sharp gaze commanded respect.
¡°Thorwald,¡± Gunnar greeted the man with open arms.¡± Welcome to...¡±
¡°I appreciate the effort,¡± the man cut into the jarl¡¯s greeting. ¡°But I¡¯m not here for a friendly visit. Did you receive my message?¡±
¡°About our God-marked? Yes. Is the king preparing for a raid against the Eastern Isles again?¡±
¡°No,¡± the man stated as he walked by the jarl, giving a slight bow to Helga and the elders. ¡°Gather the God-marked in front of the great hall and I shall tell you our reason for coming here.¡±
With that, Thorwald offered his arm to the priestess and they headed out towards the great hall.
¡°You heard him,¡± Gunnar turned to his right-hand man awkwardly. ¡°Get everyone.¡±
The man nodded and hurried away, stopping in the crowd of villagers before continuing.
¡°Get to the great hall!¡± Einar heard the man call out to him, earning a scoffing noise from Bj?rn.
¡°So that¡¯s the infamous Thorwald. I thought he¡¯d be taller,¡± Astrid remarked. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to make the king¡¯s hunting wolf wait.¡±
Most of the villagers headed over to the great hall, crowding the area in front of the longhouse. When Einar and his family arrived, the youth was waved closer by the jarl¡¯s men. He joined the line of God-marked that stood in the open area between the longhouse and the crowd. The warriors from the ship appeared as well, their leader walking on the front with the priestess. He slowed down as he neared the line of youths, eyeing up each one carefully. When it came to Einar, the man stopped to take a better look at him.
¡°An Arnessen,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°I thought none of the banished were born as God-marked here.¡±
¡°He earned the favour of the gods in the ritual of the Proving,¡± Helga explained. ¡°He fought and killed a black bear using only his seax.¡±
¡°It looks like the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the clan¡¯s tree. I bet your father was grinning like a madman.¡±
Einar only nodded as an answer, earning a slight chortle from the man.
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¡°What¡¯s his calling?¡± Thorwald asked the priestess, earning a smile from her.
¡°He¡¯s a seeker.¡±
¡°Really,¡± the warrior looked back at Einar with a newfound fondness, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Welcome to the fold, lad.¡±
Thorwald then continued on taking a look at the rest of the God-marked. After reaching the end of the small line, he turned towards Helga and the villagers.
¡°Near two weeks ago the seers of the High King all had the same vision on the same night,¡± he began his speech. ¡°The ring of storms will ease up soon and the Isles of the Torn Serpent will reveal themselves to the world once more.¡±
¡°The isles of the gods,¡± Helga blurted out in surprise. ¡°When?¡±
¡°In about a month,¡± the man answered honestly. ¡°Just enough time for us to gather all we can send. The seers communed with the gods and received an important revelation.¡±
Here Thorwald looked at the line of youths, letting out a somewhat envious sigh.
¡°They have foreseen that any God-marked older than twenty-three will be struck dead as they sail through the storm. Only ordinary mortals below the age of thirty-five and the younger God-marked can reach the Torn Serpent Isles.¡±
¡°Then I cannot go with you.¡± One of the young men stepped out of the line.
¡°Are you not under twenty-three?¡± The warrior asked him, earning a slight head shake.
¡°I will turn twenty-five next week, sir.¡±
Thorwald turned towards the priestess, seeing her nod.
¡°In that case, you shall stay. The High King does not want you to die a needless death. Anyone else turning twenty-four or more in the next month or so?¡±
When only one more man stepped forward from the line of over a dozen, he let out a relieved sigh.
¡°Good. Gather your belongings and prepare yourselves. We¡¯ll sail out tomorrow at sunrise.¡±
¡°You heard him,¡± Helga raised her voice. ¡°Go and prepare. Tonight we¡¯ll hold a farewell celebration and tomorrow you¡¯ll embark on a journey to glory!¡±
The stunned crowd of villagers broke into a loud cheering as the news sank in. The famed isles of the gods would reveal themselves after centuries and the youngsters from their remote settlement get to join the expedition sailing towards it. This was indeed worthy of celebration. Einar returned to his family, finding his mother fighting with her tears. As soon as he got close enough, Astrid pretty much leapt towards him, hugging the young giant with all her strength.
¡°Mother...¡± He tried to say something, but couldn¡¯t find the right words.
¡°Let¡¯s go back home.¡± Astrid said, almost whispering.
The journey home was silent and gloomy, neither of the youth¡¯s parents saying a word. That changed the moment they got home and the door got closed behind them.
¡°That miserable fable mulling whoreson!¡± Astrid said with enough venom that her words could kill a lesser man.
¡°Calm down,¡± her husband sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not that...¡±
¡°Of course it¡¯s bad,¡± the woman cut him off. ¡°We¡¯re not talking about something as simple as a raid or some small battle against another kingdom. It¡¯s the bloody isles of the gods. Even if they get through the storm, who knows what horror awaits them there!¡±
¡°It can¡¯t be so terrible if the gods asked for the young ones. And besides. We can¡¯t keep him here after the gathering was announced.¡±
¡°I... I¡¯m going to Wolfhold?¡± Einar finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to see the capital.¡±
¡°You will,¡± his father patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Although it will be a short visit. At least you¡¯ll get to...¡±
Bj?rn¡¯s speech was interrupted by a heavy knock on the entrance door. Astrid opened the door, finding one of the local guards on the other side.
¡°Gunnar wanted you to know that we¡¯ll hold the farewell celebration for the God-marked at sundown. Your son is required to attend.¡±
¡°And the rest of us?¡± Bj?rn asked.
¡°The families are welcomed, but the God-marked are required.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll be there.¡± Astrid promised before closing the door.
¡°Looks like tonight¡¯s going to be a busy one. You should pack whatever you need for the journey and get some rest while you can.¡± His father said with his wife nodding in agreement.
Einar headed over to his room, looking through his belongings. ¡®What should I bring along? Clothes first.¡¯ He thought as he shoved some simple clothes into the ¡®world eater¡¯ pouch which always surprised him with its seemingly bottomless space. His second choice fell on his coin pouch, all of his wealth summed up in twelve gold and forty-seven silver. Hunting was always a well-paid endeavour, though he would never say no to more coins.
A fire striker, a water skin, some rope and other small things along with some cloth used for a tent and a fur bedroll to sleep on. Those were the things that came to his mind, although his mother also brought along a small cauldron he could hang above a campfire along with a deep wooden bowl, a plate and a few utensils.
¡°Thank you, mother.¡± He said, earning a firm hug from the woman.
Einar could feel his mother shaking, her eyes red from the tears she shed. She never felt so tiny. So frail.
¡°Everything will be fine, mother. I... I will be fine.¡±
¡°You better be,¡± the woman said after wiping her tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t raise you, just to lose you to some madman¡¯s thirst for godly recognition. Whatever you find on those islands, you better conquer it or we¡¯ll be having words.¡±
¡°I will.¡± The young giant agreed, already fearing the truth of him never being able to return.
¡°Get some rest.¡± Astrid reminded him after she finally let go.
The woman left the room, closing the door behind herself. Einar let out a sigh before sprawling out on his bed. The tiredness caused by the hard training and the other events made him fall asleep easily, only waking up when his father knocked on the door.
¡°It¡¯s almost nightfall,¡± the man said from the other side of the door. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep the others waiting.¡±
Einar woke up with a grumble, his movement somewhat sluggish from the interrupted sleep. As he joined the others waiting at their home¡¯s entrance, he saw that his mother¡¯s eyes lightened up somewhat.
¡°Are you ready?¡± She asked, earning a firm nod from the young giant.
¡°Let us go then.¡± Bj?rn said as he locked the door and the five of them headed towards the village¡¯s ancestral hall.
Even from afar, the sound of music and cheerful laughter filled the air along the way and as they neared the large longhouse, they were greeted by several familiar faces. Inside the great hall, Einar was led to the main table to sit with the rest of the God-marked.
¡°I see our young seeker made it in time,¡± Helga remarked from the table. ¡°Since you managed to arrive earlier than expected, why don¡¯t you join the others for the ceremonial braiding?¡±
¡°The what?¡± Einar asked back confused.
¡°You are about to leave on an expedition with a chance of not coming back. Don¡¯t you want to leave a keepsake for your family?¡± She asked as she pointed at his hair.
It was at that moment that the young seeker remembered his father¡¯s stories about warriors leaving a braided lock of hair behind with their families to be remembered by in case they didn¡¯t return.
¡°I guess I should,¡± he nodded. ¡°One for my parents and one...¡±
¡°For Kari?¡± The priestess asked back, earning a slight nod. ¡°Go. My helpers are waiting in a room to the left.¡±
Einar stood back up and went on to find the room Helga mentioned. He soon found it when another God-marked left it, waving him closer. ¡°Are you here for the braiding too?¡± The other young man asked, leaving the door open for him.
Inside the room, he found some of the others still sitting on wooden stools as Helga''s helpers surrounded them. They were braiding locks of hair before tying them off at both ends and cutting them off.
¡°Welcome, young seeker,¡± one of the women said as she pointed at the stool before her. ¡°How many braids do you wish to leave behind?¡±
¡°Two.¡±
¡°Then sit. We shall take care of the rest.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 8 Leaving Bear-rock Island
A few minutes of idle sitting later Einar could hear the sound of the shear snipping beside his ears as they cut off a braided lock of hair from both sides of his face.
¡°It is done,¡± the woman said as she sealed the end of the tied locks with what he believed to be bone glue. ¡°You will receive these tomorrow morning when the glue has dried. For now, you should go and enjoy your last night here.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± The seeker said before leaving, barely making a few steps outside before Kari grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away while handing him a drinking horn.
This was followed by some dancing and revelry, good food and another horn¡¯s worth of something sweet before his mind began to turn hazy. Kari was beside him the whole time, finally gathering up her courage to drag him away after the second horn got emptied. The two walked beneath the starry sky, Einar carrying the young woman in his arms halfway through their short journey after she asked for it, saying that her legs hurt.
Somewhere during their walk, the two began to kiss each other, the night turning hazier as they reached a building shrouded in darkness. The girl led him into a room while they kept pulling off each other¡¯s clothes, losing all restraint. By the time they were naked, the giant had lost all control over his thirst for Kari as a lustful haze took over his mind.
Einar woke up groggily, lying in a foreign bed, in an unfamiliar room. Alone. Kari was nowhere to be seen, only a lock of braided hair remained behind, nestled into his right palm, its colour making it obvious to whom it belonged to. The young giant slowly got up from the bed, pulling on his clothes and armour before quietly leaving what turned out to be one of the long houses meant for any guests visiting their island.
Most of the doors of the other rooms were still closed with either slight snoring or moaning coming from behind them. Einar felt awkward as he left, the sun still some time away from showing itself in the sky. When he finally got home, he found his father sitting beside the fireplace with a knowing smile on his face.
¡°It seems you¡¯ve had an eventful night.¡± Bj?rn said, waving him closer so that the lad could sit down.
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know.¡± He remarked, his father looking at him surprised.
¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t really remember.¡± Einar said with a puzzled look on his face.
The memories of the previous night were hazy at best, broken glimpses at moments of pleasure mixed with images that made his ears turn red. He could faintly recall Kari¡¯s sweet voice as she moaned, the feel of her silky skin, her shapely chest. The youth knew what they had done, but barely understood how or why and it frustrated him.
¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± His father said with a calm tone.
¡°I don¡¯t understand. I only drank two horn¡¯s worth.¡±
¡°Forget about it for now,¡± Bj?rn said. ¡°Later, when you¡¯re on the ship and you don¡¯t even see our island any more, ask Thorwald about it. Not before.¡±
¡°I...¡±
¡°Not before that. Understood?¡±
¡°Yes¡±. Einar nodded before letting out a deep and frustrated breath.
¡°Good. Your mother had prepared some supplies for the journey. I doubt you¡¯ll have a problem carrying them, given your bottomless pouch.¡±
Saying that, the man pointed toward the pantry where a small pile of food awaited the young giant. There was some cheese, smoked fish and sausage along with a basket of apples piled up there, enough for five or six days if he rationed it well.
¡°Where¡¯s mother?¡± He asked while packing away the food.
¡°She went to get some fresh bread.¡±
¡°Did she manage to finally calm down?¡±
¡°Mostly, but you know what she¡¯s like. She will always worry.¡±
¡°Who will worry?¡± A soft voice asked as Astrid walked in, trying not to make too much noise.
¡°You.¡± Bj?rn explained as the woman placed a basket on the table, pulling several loaves of fresh bread from it.
¡°There¡¯s nothing shameful about worrying for one¡¯s children,¡± the woman stated as she handed two loaves of bread to Einar, his world eater pouch swallowing them without a hint of trouble. ¡°It¡¯s part of being a parent. Anyway. Are you ready?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Einar answered with his gaze turned toward the windows where he could see the first rays of the morning sun appear. ¡°But it¡¯s not like I have much of a choice.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, lad. Everything will be fine.¡± His father claimed while his mother went to wake up the younger children so that they could say goodbye to their brother.
The Arnessen family had a large parting breakfast together, the younger siblings practically hanging on their brother, not wanting to let him go. When the time came, Bj?rn stood up and headed toward the door. ¡°Alright, everyone. It¡¯s time to go.¡±
¡°Are you sure you put away everything you want to bring along?¡± Astrid asked for the fifth time, Einar giving her a reassuring nod as the family ladder home and followed the path down to the pier.
Thorwald¡¯s vessel easily dwarfed Gunnar¡¯s prized raiding ship, making it hard to miss for anyone. As they neared it, they found a large crowd already gathering in front of the ship, some of Helga¡¯s helpers from the previous day walking about to hand out braided locks of hair to their rightful owners. When they reached the Arnessen family, one of them handed Astrid a bright red braid before trying to leave.
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¡°What about the other one?¡± Einar asked, the woman stopping momentarily to look at him with a pitying expression.
¡°We had already given it to young Kari earlier.¡±
¡°Kari,¡± the young giant muttered. ¡°Is she here too?¡±
¡°She was,¡± the woman sighed. ¡°But she claimed that she had already said her goodbyes to you and didn¡¯t want to watch you leave as it would have been too painful for her.¡±
¡°I... I see. Thank you.¡± He nodded with a sour mood as his mother patted him on the back.
¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll take care of her.¡± She promised, her words making Einar raise an eyebrow but a loud voice cut into their conversation.
¡°Alright, folks,¡± Thorwald yelled from his ship. ¡°Say goodbye to your kin and let us sail out while the wind still favours us.¡±
¡°This is it,¡± Bj?rn said with a sigh as he gave a bear hug to his son. ¡°Take care of yourself and remember what I¡¯ve said before. Don¡¯t worry about us. I¡¯ll keep your mother and the little ones safe.¡±
¡°I know you will, father.¡± Einar nodded before his mother hugged him as well.
¡°Don¡¯t forget about what I¡¯ve told you either,¡± Astrid said with tears flowing from her eyes. ¡°Whatever you find on those islands, you better conquer it. You¡¯re meant to be greater than any Arnessen before you, so you must stay alive to be able to tell us the tales of your journey!¡±
¡°I will.¡± He promised, wiping away her tears.
¡°Please don¡¯t go, big brother!¡± His little sister pleaded as he crouched down to hug her and his little brother, both of them crying as they hugged him as if their lives depended on it.
¡°I will only be away for a couple of weeks. You¡¯ll barely notice it and I¡¯ll be back.¡± He forced himself to lie, almost choking on his words as he realised that it might take months if not more before he could return.
¡°But...¡±
¡°Alright, you two,¡± Astrid pulled them off of him, hugging them. ¡°Let your brother go before they leave him here. As for you. Go on before they cry their eyes out.¡±
Einar gave his parents a final nod before turning around and walking away, jumping aboard the ship.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± Thorwald remarked from the side. ¡°I was starting to worry that I¡¯d have to send people to pry you out of your mother¡¯s arms.¡±
¡°Dumb crybaby.¡± One of the twins sniggered from their left side, both of them taking back a few steps as Thorwald looked at them with a rueful gaze.
¡°Ulf,¡± the king¡¯s seeker yelled toward the helmsman. ¡°Cut her loose!¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡± The man replied as the sailors pulled back the ropes that tied the ship to the docks, while also lowering the sail so that they could catch the early morning wind.
The ship began to move after a slight shake ran through its spine, everyone settling down as they left the port. Einar spent the next quarter of an hour staring back at his homeland, watching it as it became smaller and smaller. A while later he let out a sigh and sat down beside the railing at the stern of the ship. After hours of sailing, Einar finally cleared his mind enough to do as he promised. Thorwald sent away the sailor he was talking with when he noticed the young giant approaching, his brows creasing at the sight of the youth¡¯s conflicted expression.
¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± he asked. ¡°Homesick already?¡± ¡°I want to ask you something,¡± Einar said as the two turned toward the sea, grabbing onto the railing of the ship. ¡°Something¡¯s been bothering me since I woke up, but Father told me to only ask you after we were far enough to not even see my home.¡±
¡°Sounds like Bj?rn decided to dump something bad in my neck,¡± Thorwald sighed. ¡°Out with it.¡±
¡°Last night, Kari and I,¡± he began with a slightly awkward tone. ¡°We... you know.¡±
¡°You slept with her,¡± the man nodded sagely. ¡°So? Was it that bad?¡±
¡°No,¡± Einar replied immediately. ¡°I mean... I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s... I don¡¯t remember pretty much anything, despite only having two horns'' worth of ale. I drank before and I was fine even after a dozen tankards but...¡±
¡°And your father didn¡¯t tell you why,¡± the man rolled his eyes. ¡°Figures he would leave explaining this mess to me. All right, listen well. You will most likely never get to go back to Bear-rock Island.¡±
¡°What?¡± The young giant asked back with the railing almost cracking beneath his grasp.¡°This journey to the Torn Serpent Isles is a one-way trip. I don¡¯t know everything, but I do know that the ring of storms will only lessen until the God-marked reach the isles. After that, it will reform to lock you in and everyone else out.¡±
¡°But then... my family.¡±
¡°They know. Helga secretly visited every family with a God-marked to talk with them. They were told that they would likely never see you again.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Einar asked with a steadily darkening tone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me about this? If I knew...¡±
¡°Nothing would have changed if you knew,¡± the older seeker stated. ¡°You would still have to answer the call and it would have only made saying goodbye more bitter. This way at least you could leave with your head held high. As for that girl, she was part of your last ritual.¡±
Seeing the young giant¡¯s clueless expression, Thorwald let out a deep sigh before trying to explain it. ¡°Often when the High King calls upon warriors from the different aisles for a raid or a war, they hold a farewell ritual to make sure that the warriors leave their blood behind. Otherwise, their bloodline might die out with them.¡±
¡°Hold on,¡± Einar growled as the railing cracked beneath his grip this time. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Kari...¡±
¡°Helga asked every family with a God-marked man if the lad had someone they fancied. Your family must have named this... Kari as your sweetheart. After that, she must have volunteered to bear your child when Helga asked her. Those two horns'' worth of drink you received were part of the ritual, both of you drinking some to make sure that she would be able to bear your blood. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t remember. It¡¯s a side effect of the brew.¡±
¡°Why?¡± he muttered in a weak, almost silent voice as a teardrop broke free from his eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she tell me?¡±
¡°I believe it was too painful for her,¡± Thorwald patted him on the back. ¡°Seeing one¡¯s beloved sail away, knowing that they will never return is not an easy thing to do. We men always sail out to seek fame and fortune, trying not to think about whom we live behind if we fail. I¡¯m sorry they decided for you, but I too believe it was the right one.¡±
As he said that, Thorwald looked down at the hay-coloured braid the youth was holding.
¡°Never forget your home or your loved ones. Never forget Kari either,¡± the man said as he left. ¡°But don¡¯t let them hold you back either. Let them fade into a pleasant memory you can think of when drinking or staring into the campfire. Otherwise, they will only weigh you down. Your life on Bear-rock Island is over. Today marks the first day of your new life. Try to make it a long one.¡±
It was a shitty advice in Einar¡¯s opinion, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense, even if he hated to admit it. He recalled his parents¡¯ words as they said their goodbyes, trying their best to hide that it was a final one. No. Einar refused to accept that. He would conquer whatever he¡¯d find on those islands, then return home. Or die trying. Dozens of thoughts run across his mind, all of them vying for his attention.
The young giant couldn¡¯t let it go on like that. Even if he had a chance to one day return, he had to survive to do that. He had to get stronger. Looking around, Einar noticed some extra ropes lying about, most likely used to moor the ship when they reached a port. He slowly picked up a small pile of it to test if it was sturdy enough before tying one end of it around his waist and the other one to the back of the ship.
¡°Hey lad, what are you doing?¡± One of the sailors asked as Einar took a few steps forward and leapt out of the ship.
¡°Captain!¡± The sailor yelled as he and many others watched the young giant drift away.
Thorwald hurried back with the others, only to see Einar as he began to swim after their ship like a madman.
Book: 1 Ch. 9 Diving for a treasure hunt
¡°What the hell is that oaf doing now?¡± Haftor asked as they watched the young giant doing his best to keep the fast pace of the ship.
¡°What does it look like?¡± Thorwald asked back with a chuckle as he shook his head. ¡°He decided to spend his time training.¡±
¡°Training?¡± Ingrid scoffed. ¡°He looks more like a red dog that¡¯s trying not to drown.¡±
¡°He can sure swim fast. Though he does look like a wet dog.¡± One of the sailors remarked with the others laughing at his words.
¡°Let him train for another week,¡± Thorwald said with a firm tone. ¡°And he might leave the ship behind even with the wind at our back.¡±
¡°Not everyone can swim as fast as you do, captain.¡± Another sailor noted, the others nodding in agreement.
A good half an hour later Einar managed to tire himself out enough to not think about his home. He grabbed the rope that floated straight in front of him in a near-taut state and pulled himself back on the ship. The youth managed to climb back on board, his wet boots squeaking while water was dripping from his armour and clothes.
¡°So,¡± Thorwald stepped closer to him. ¡°Did you manage to clear your head?¡±
¡°I did,¡± the youth sighed. ¡°It was one hellish swim though.¡±
¡°That I know,¡± the man agreed. ¡°I used to do it myself as well during my younger years as a sailor. Being able to swim fast while in armour is a useful skill. As for us God-marked, it can be useful in many other ways.¡±
¡°You mean its ability to increase one of our attributes?¡± Einar asked, the older seeker nodding.
¡°There are many things you¡¯ll get better throughout your life, but some skills are better to develop early. Swimming and diving are necessary skills for any seafarer. I take it you will keep swimming these next few days?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble for the crew.¡±
¡°Not unless you drown,¡± Thorwald remarked. ¡°There¡¯s not much to do on the ship besides making sure that it reaches its destination. Spending that time training is the best thing one can do.¡±
¡°That and raiding other ships.¡± A sailor noted from the side wistfully.
¡°That too. Who knows, maybe you get lucky and get your first sea battle done before we reach the capital.¡±
He wasn¡¯t that lucky. The following eight days went by uneventfully as they sailed across the sea toward the capital, Einar spending at least three hours swimming each day. When they got really bored, some sailors spent their time telling stories of their previous battles or trying their best to teach useful skills to the young God-marked aboard. They stopped at two islands on the way, staying for the night before leaving with new God-marked youths joining them.
On the ninth day of their journey, one of the men called out to Thorwald, handing him a bronze looking glass, a rare and precious item he supposedly gained as a trophy from a raid years ago. The sailor pointed to a distant place slightly toward their left, the older seeker¡¯s voice immediately catching the crew¡¯s attention.
¡°Ulf! Slightly to the left. Start pulling in the sail!¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± One of the youths asked as the ship began to slow down.
¡°There¡¯s something there,¡± another one replied. ¡°Poking out of the water.¡±
As they got closer, it became clear that it was the top part of a ship¡¯s mast that poked out of the sea a good yard and a half high with a piece of cloth stuck to it. Ulf had already mentioned earlier that they were sailing through shallow waters, filled with reefs, but Einar didn¡¯t expect that they would come across a sunken ship on their way.
¡°It¡¯s an eastern trader ship.¡± One of the sailors said in recognition as they looked down beneath the clear seawater.
When they got close enough, one of the men tied their vessel to the mast piece.
¡°Be ready to cut it if it begins to tilt!¡± Thorwald ordered his men before turning around to address the rest of the crew.
¡°It looks like today is our lucky day,¡± the man said aloud. ¡°Whether it was through a storm or other raiders, the gods have blessed us with a chance to salvage something good before we reached a capital. Those who want to dive, line up!¡±
Einar was amongst the first ones to step out, hoping to make use of his recently honed skill to hold his breath underwater. A group of ten men and women lined up, Thorwald joining them for this endeavour.
¡°If it sank recently,¡± one of the young God-marked spoke quietly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t there any corpses floating around in the water?¡±
¡°They have been most likely eaten by the fishes and sharks already.¡± A mud brown haired sailor remarked from the side, the youth visibly shuddering after hearing the answer.
¡°Einar,¡± the older seeker called out to him. ¡°You¡¯re with me.¡±
Saying that the man lifted the hefty-looking anchor and stepped up onto the ship¡¯s railing. The young giant followed him, climbing up beside him.
¡°This should help us get down faster. I know you can hold back your breath for a good while, but down there, every move you make will cut into that. Don¡¯t waste your time with scraps. Try to grab what you think would fetch a decent price and if you come across any cargo that¡¯s trying to float upward, try to help it get loose. Oh, and you might need this in case it gets too dark. Deep breath.¡±
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He said while handing over a thumb-sized pale yellow crystal. A deep breath later Thorwald gave the youth a nod as they both stepped forward into the air while holding onto the anchor, its weight dragging them beneath the sea at a fast pace. Einar felt the anchor pulling his already heavy frame under, his eyes trying to stay open as he watched the sunken ship grow closer by the second.
Thorwald let go of the anchor as they reached the height of the ship¡¯s deck, the young seeker following his example. They began to swim toward it, a strange sight greeting him. The ship looked different from the ones he was used to. Its body was large with the upper section having what he believed to be windows, the vessel being wedged between the low reefs. It had two masts for sails but the one at the front was broken with the second being the one that poked out of the water.
There was a large hole on the side of the ship leading inward. He swam toward the hole and through it, finding himself in a room that had beds stacked atop each other at the sides. The beds had wooden chests in front of them, prompting him to open them in hopes of treasure. Inside he found the pair of coin pouches and a couple of knick-knacks he quickly stashed into his world eater pouch that somehow managed to keep out the water.
Einar hurriedly swam toward the door, opening it with surprising ease. He found himself in a dark hallway with doors along the path and a stairway at the end. It was quite hazy at first however the yellow stone he received from Thorwald began to glow faintly, shedding light onto the darkness. ¡®I¡¯ve no time for this¡¯. The youth thought as he opened another door, finding the same kind of room inside as the one he just come from.
A strange glint caught his eyes as he looked toward the top of the bed on his right. The water shimmered near the ceiling the same way he used to see it shine when he was coming up to the surface. His curiosity got the best of him as he swam closer, finding out that the top of the sunken room had a small air pocket in it. It was just enough for the top of his head and his eyes to get out of the water, but as he shifted his body the right way, he managed the float up with his face upward.
Einar let out a rattled breath, breathing in stale air to fill his lungs before diving back down. As he checked the other rooms, he found one more such air pocket, making sure to remember it before heading down the stairs. He found himself in what seemed to be the cargo hold, barrels, crates, canvas-wrapped cubes and sacks filling the space. Some faint light seeped through where the side of the ship got damaged by the reef, but Einar mostly relied on his light stone.
The young giant couldn¡¯t read the scribbles carved onto the barrels and boxes, so he had to use his seax to pry open a few of them. Wet grain, planks made out of some kind of dark wood, metal ores and the like revealed themselves for him, making and believe that this trading ship was hauling regular supplies. Some of the ore crates held metals that shone strangely beneath his light stone which prompted him to shove some into his world eater pouch.
He could feel his chest burning as he was running out of air, but the sight of a locked door at the end of the cargo hold made him push forward. A hefty lock hung on the door, forcing him to put one foot on the wall and another on the door and grabbed the lock, using all his might to pull at it. The wet wood soon gave way and broke, allowing him to open the door. The first thing he did after the door opened was to swim upward toward the air pocket which was trapped in the room.
His lungs burned as he breathed out between coughs, filling them with a somewhat stale but much-needed air. His mind slowly cleared, his nose finally catching the rancid stench in the air. From the corner of his eyes, he found its source, a blotted corpse floating not too far from him. A moment of panic made him push away which only ended with him sinking under and swallowing some water.
Einar swam back up coughing, trying to take a deep breath so that he wouldn¡¯t drown. With his lungs now filled with the foul air he could sink back down to have a better look at the corpse. It wore a white shirt and dark pants with boots, a curved blade hanging from its belts along with a few pouches. ¡®The poor bastard must have been locked in here to guard whatever they kept in this room.¡¯ He thought with a shudder as he imagined being locked up in a room and drowning.
The one thing he couldn¡¯t understand was how the air pocket ended up here and why the man didn¡¯t use it up to prolong his life. Knowing better than to leave behind any valuables, the young giant steeled his nerves and swam closer, stripping the body of anything worth taking. Other than those, he found a few strange things on the table along with an even stranger hat which seemed to have been left behind by the dead man. He put those away as well, turning his attention to the three large chests in the corner of the small room.
Prying them open, two of the chests revealed ingots of some kind of shining metal, the third one being filled with neat rows of silver coins. ¡®This must be worth the fortune.¡¯ Einar thought to himself, his greed flaring up for a moment before he pushed it down, thinking that Thorwald would likely ask everyone to show their spoils. His father often mentioned that the captain of a ship had such rights. Letting out an inner sigh, he closed back the chests, using some rope to tie them together. Lifting the three chests added enough weight that he was now able to walk on the floor as if the ship was still on the surface.
Using the foul air pocket to fill his lungs one more time, he grabbed the chests and left, heading back toward the whole on the side of the ship. Once outside, he made his way to the anchor, hooking it into the ropes that have the chests together before swimming up and looking at the still-busy divers below. As he broke through the surface of the water, the fresh here came as salvation.
¡°There he is,¡± he heard one of the sailors yell as he reached down to help him climb aboard. ¡°We were getting worried when you didn''t come up for air after so long.¡± The man said as he patted the still coughing youth.
¡°I found some air trapped beneath the ceiling of some of the rooms of the ship.¡±
¡°Some of the others have found such air pockets as well.¡± Another man claimed.
¡°Help me pull up the anchor.¡± Einar said, earning a few raised eyebrows.
¡°The anchor?¡±
¡°I tied a couple of chests onto it.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± the sailors nodded, grabbing the thick rope. ¡°Pull!¡±
The young giant had three other sailors pull up the hefty rope, getting the chests onboard.
¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± One of them asked, but he quickly cut off the discussion.
¡°We¡¯ll open them when Thorwald is here. He will decide what to do then.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± they backed off surprisingly fast. ¡°If it needs the captain to decide, then it¡¯s best not to bother it before he returns.¡±
¡°The captain runs a tight ship.¡± Another sailor whispered toward Einar as if to explain their willingness to leave the matter at rest.
Einar sat down beside the chests, closing his eyes as he took deep breaths, the world slowly spinning around him as a slight headache hammered at the back of his skull. Although he caught sight of Haftor and Ingrid staring greedily at the chests occasionally, neither dared to come close. Sometime later the rest of the divers came up as well, pulling up different pieces of cargo and other items. When Thorwald came up as well, he checked his men and the others, before one of the sailors said something to him that Einar couldn¡¯t hear while pointing toward him and the crates.
Book: 1 Ch. 10 Dividing the spoils
Thorwald and his second-in-command slowly walked over, followed by the other sailors.
¡°I hear you¡¯ve found something that requires my attention.¡± Thorwald said with a curious tone.
¡°My father often told me that it¡¯s a captain¡¯s right to decide about the more valuable spoils.¡±
¡°Spoils, huh? Now I¡¯m really curious about what you found.¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡± The young giant said with a wide smile, already knowing that as the one who found those chests, he had the right to at least a tenth of their content.
The sailors cut the rope that bound the chest together, lining up the boxes along the side of the ship. Thorwald opened the first chest, letting out a low whistle.
¡°A whole crate of refined Eastern Abralt steel.¡± The older seeker said, giving him an acknowledging nod.
¡°And quite a high quality by the looks of it,¡± Ulf remarked from the side. ¡°It shines with a bright and clear bluish hue. No discolouration.¡±
¡°Indeed,¡± Thorwald agreed. ¡°The one thing those silk pants know how to do is refining Abralt steel. Judging by your look, you¡¯re not familiar with it. Not that it would be surprising, given that you live so far from the capital.¡±
¡°Father has a seax made from Abralt steel,¡± Einar said, still dizzy after his dive. ¡°Although he prizes it so much that even I had only seen it twice before.¡±
¡°And with good reason,¡± Ulf noted. ¡°Abralt steel is one of the best materials for a weapon. Even a knife made from Abralt is worth ten gold if not more.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Thorwald calmed his laughing men down. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in the second chest.¡±
Opening it, they found it full of Abralt steel like the previous one.
¡°Damn,¡± Ulf couldn¡¯t stop himself from cursing. ¡°Two whole chests of Abralt steel. If nothing else, that¡¯s already worth a small ship¡¯s price.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s in the last one, lads.¡± Thorwald said as he opened it, revealing the neat rows of silver coins.
¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of silver.¡± Someone said from the side disheartened.
¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Another one asked baffled.
¡°It¡¯s barely worth a tenth of the first chest.¡± Someone else remarked.
¡°Quit your whining,¡± Ulf growled at them. ¡°Free spoils like these are a blessing from the gods. If you keep whining like that you¡¯ll incur their wrath.¡±
¡°This is a fine haul,¡± Thorwald said, patting Einar on the back. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father has also told you before that the one to find such valuables will get a tenth of the spoils.¡±
¡°A tenth?¡± Haftor spoke up indignantly. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Who knows how much he had already hidden in his pouch? We¡¯ve all seen before that it can hold several such chests¡¯ worth of stuff.¡±
¡°My brother¡¯s right,¡± Ingrid joined in. ¡°The only reason this oaf was willing to bring up the chest for you to see was because he must have already hidden away a lot more for himself.¡±
The sailors and other God-marked kept glancing at Einar and then back at Thorwald, the latter about to say something but Ulf was faster as he smacked Haftor in the face.
¡°Just who do you think you are to talk to the Captain like that, brat? It¡¯s the same as badmouthing the King. If King Baldr hadn¡¯t ordered us to bring every God-marked in front of him alive, I would have already thrown you overboard and left you for the sharks.¡±
¡°But you do have to bring¡¡± Ingrid tried to argue, earning a smack just as heavy as his brother did.
¡°Enough,¡± Thorwald spoke loudly, cutting off the argument. ¡°We can easily find out if Einar had been hiding some godly riches that are worth more than these chests.¡±
His words earned a discontent murmur from the sailors as some of them found it unfair for the young giant¡¯s honour to be questioned in such a way.
¡°However,¡± the older seeker continued. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, then you will have to pay for your schemes. Whatever value he carries in that world eater pouch, you will match it in silver and gold as punishment.¡±
¡°But¡¡±
¡°My word is final,¡± Thorwald silenced Ingrid¡¯s protest. ¡°Einar, are you willing to empty your pouch to clear your name in front of the gods?¡±
¡°Fine by me.¡± He shrugged as he pulled the square pouch off his belt, opening it and turning it upside-down.
As he did so, different items began to fall out of the pouch in quick succession, littering the wooden floor beneath him. A few wet coin pouches, some food, a few ordinary items and the like fell out along with a few handfuls of ore. After the curved blade, the strange hat and the rest of the dead man¡¯s belongings fell out as well, silence reigned on the ship. The awkward silence was broken by Thorwald as he stepped forward.
¡°Ulf,¡± he called out to his second in command. ¡°Check them out.¡±
The man did as told, crouching beside the pile so that he could pick things up one by one. First, he picked up the food, clothes and other miscellaneous things that were clearly brought along from Bear-rock Island. Ulf handed them back to Einar so that he could pack them away. When it came to the few wet pouches, the man opened them one by one, pouring their contents together.
¡°Eleven silver, plus a brass earring with some cheap gem.¡±
¡°See,¡± Haftor said triumphantly. ¡°He was really hiding¡¡±
¡°Hiding what?¡± Thorwald cut into his words with a deep-toned growl. ¡°A few coins and an earring? Do you want me to take away such finds from the rest of the divers as well? Even I¡¯ve found a pouch or two myself while down there.¡±
His words silenced the youth as the man turned back toward Ulf and the waning pile of items. Most of the things were of little worth, the captain taking fancy to the strange hat which he said to be willing to buy from Einar. When it came to the sword, Ulf let out a low whistle.
¡°A fine sabre.¡±
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¡°Sabre?¡± The young giant asked back puzzled.
¡°That¡¯s the name of this kind of curved sword. Although it¡¯s not Abralt steel, it¡¯s still a fine blade. You could sell it for at least five gold at the capital. As for that bronze looking glass in that leather holster, I suggest you keep it. It may prove useful in the future.¡±
Some more items were handed back to the young giant before Ulf finally picked up one of the ore chunks, giving it a scrutinising look before holding it up to Thorwald. The man accepted it, only looking at it for a second or two before his gaze snapped toward Einar.
¡°Where did you find this?¡± He asked, his voice almost commanding.
¡°From one of the crates down in the area where the cargo was kept.¡±
¡°Were there only these few chunks¡¡±
¡°Five crates.¡± Einar stated, the older seeker almost choking after he heard his answers.
¡°Five crates? Are you sure?¡±
¡°Yeah, about the same size as these chests, but they were raw ore and I didn¡¯t know how good they were so I only took a few handfuls.¡±
¡°You hear that, Ulf? Five crates. Five whole bloody crates!¡±
¡°Get ready to dive, lads!¡± Ulf said aloud, the rest of the sailors standing there baffled until Thorwald decided to give them a short explanation.
¡°This here is raw Zubralt ore.¡±
His words created a storm of arguments among the sailors, all of them staring greedily at the apple-sized chunk of rock that had a thumb-thick dark reddish vein of metal running across it.
¡°If Abralt is one of the best metals to be used for making weapons, Zubralt is its equal when it comes to tools used in rituals or to cast magic.¡± Ulf explained with a serious tone.
¡°A single ingot the size of your fist would be worth fifty gold. These few ore chunks are worth about two gold, since they¡¯re unrefined.¡±
¡°So what¡¯s the tally?¡± Thorwald asked from his second in command, the latter¡¯s experience in dealing with merchants making him frown.¡±
¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s between seven and eight gold if we count everything together, although the Zubralt would first need to be refined to see how much there is actually.¡±
¡°Seven gold,¡± Thorwald hummed. ¡°His share of the coins and the Abralt steel would be worth more, right?¡±
¡°About thirty-five to forty gold if he sold off the Abralt to the right people.¡± Ulf confirmed.
¡°You hear that, brats?¡± Thorwald turned toward Haftor and Ingrid. ¡°It looks like the lad¡¯s findings are worth less than his share. That means¡¡±
¡°You owe him seven gold.¡± One of the sailors said from the side with the others nodding in agreement.
¡°This is absurd,¡± Ingrid fumed in anger. ¡°If my father heard about this...¡±
¡°Then he would tell me I was too lenient on the two of you,¡± Thorwald cut into her ranting.¡± He told me about the stunt you two pulled with the black bear on the day of Proving. He asked me to ensure that you two reached the capital alive, but also asked me to keep you in line. Now pay up!¡±
The siblings looked at each other, Einar, then back at each other before finally pulling out some coins from their pouches and adding them together before handing them over to the older seeker. Thorwald gave the seven gold to the young giant with a smirk before turning toward the recently returned divers.
¡°Did you find it?¡± He asked from the men floating in the water beside the ship.
¡°It¡¯s all there, just as the lad said. It will take us some time to get the crates out of the ship though.¡±
¡°Take your time,¡± Ulf said from the side. ¡°We don¡¯t want anyone to drown.¡±
The man nodded before diving back down again. A good half an hour later all five of the crates were hauled out of the water, the crew and the young God-marked all staring at the reddish ore chunks.
¡°Once we reach the capital,¡± Thorwald spoke loudly. ¡°We¡¯ll get it measured and distributed between everyone. Everyone except those two.¡±
His sharp gaze landed on Haftor and Ingrid, the twins looking down while gritting their teeth. With the matter settled they spent another hour moored to the sunken ship, gathering whatever they found valuable enough to be taken. Their journey in the following five days went by uneventfully, although two of them were spent under rain and thunders. The sun was already high in the sky when they caught sight of Wolfhold in the distance, the capital greeting done with opened arms and plenty of guards.
¡°Welcome back, Thorwald!¡± one of the heavily armed soldiers greeted the older seeker. ¡°I see it wasn¡¯t a boring trip after all.
¡°Most of the time,¡± the man confirmed while looking back toward the spoils piled up on the ship. ¡°But we were lucky enough to come across a sunken trading ship.¡±
¡°Good haul?¡± The man asked, earning a slight nod.
¡°Enough that even the High King can get a share.¡±
¡°You know that¡¯s mandatory.¡± Another soldier said with an almost chiding tone, their comrades waving closer a pair of scribes and porters to help get the pillage recorded.
¡°This is going to take a while.¡± Ulf remarked as he and the other sailors helped unload the ship.
¡°Those three chests were found by that lad.¡± Thorwald pointed at the Abralt steel and silver containing chests and then at Einar.
¡°The right of one-tenth?¡± The soldier asked with a knowing look on his face.
¡°Yes.¡± The seeker agreed.
¡°Lucky lad. Got yourself a fine share for your first time, huh?¡±Einar gave the man a nod, standing aside to wait for his share like the others. A good half an hour later everything was examined and recorded by describes, the guardsman turning to Thorwald with a scroll in hand.
¡°According to the law, the King shall take ten ingots out of the hundred, along with twenty-five hundred Eastern silver coins and twenty kilos of Zubralt ore. Then there¡¯s a couple of silk rolls and some precious wood. The rest is for you to distribute among your men. Sign here!¡±
¡°When did you lot get so formal about these kinds of things?¡± Ulf asked from the side.
¡°We sent out a lot of ships to gather the God-marked and most of them have already arrived. Full of loot.¡±
¡°Looks like we weren¡¯t the only lucky ones out there,¡± Thorwald remarked as he signed the scroll, turning back to his men. ¡°Gather around! Time to get your share. Einar, you first.¡±
The young giant walked forward, the scribes placing down ten ingots of Abralt steel along with five hefty leather pouches, a small ore-filled canvas sack and other items in front of him. He looked at them puzzled, one of the pale-skinned men letting out a sigh before explaining.
¡°You receive one-tenth of the hundred ingots along with one-tenth of the twenty-five thousand silver. Besides that, you¡¯ll receive two kilos of Zubralt ore, a small roll of Eastern cloth and two blocks of Ebony wood.¡±
¡°I see,¡± he nodded awkwardly as he began to stuff his earnings into his world eater pouch. ¡°Thank you.¡±
After putting away his share, the youth stepped to the side so that others could have their turns. When everyone was done, both the sailors and the young God-marked were waiting for Thorwald¡¯s orders.
¡°I was told to bring the young ones to High King Baldr. The rest of you are free to return home.¡±
A slight cheer erupted from the crew as they left either toward home or the nearest tavern.
¡°Alright everyone, follow me!¡± The grizzled man said with a sigh after packing away his share of the haul.
The nearly dozen God-marked followed the old seeker along the bustling streets of Wolfhold, their Eyes darting from one place to the next, taking in the sides and smells of the capital. Soon the harbour area switched into a more mercantile one, with shops lining the streets.
Blacksmiths hammered at red-hot steel, hawkers offered their wares while laughter resounded from the nearby taverns. The city was massive compared to the village of Bear-rock Island, making Einar feel a bit lost. What made him calm down somewhat was that his scant few talks with the other God-marked told him that he wasn''t the only one to see Wolfhold for the first time.
Book: 1 Ch. 11 Rç…¤na Fireforge
The group of young God-marked gathered curious looks from the people around, some even calling out to Thorwald to welcome him back, or to ask him if he was stuck guarding the youths like the other captains. The man just kept on walking at a steady pace, only saying a few words to the people following him.
¡°You will have time to explore Wolfhold after you¡¯ve met the king.¡±
With those few words, the man cut through the crowd, leading them to a stonewalled fortress at the top of the hill overlooking the capital. The guards only stopped them for a moment before letting them through. Although the sailors told Einar before, he was still surprised by the look of the building inside the fort. Unlike the longhouse that served as Gunnar¡¯s seat of power back in Bear-rock Isle, King Baldr had a literal castle with sturdy stone walls and whatnot. In the end, the young giant just shrugged and followed Thorwald through the large door, across a wide hallway to the throne room.
¡°Welcome back, Thorwald!¡± They could hear it from the depth of the throne room as the guards opened the door for them.
King Baldr sat on his throne, surrounded by his trusted advisors. The king himself barely looked over thirty, his hair still deep brown with no grey streaks seen anywhere. Most of his advisors were of a similar age with two being the exception. One had a head streaked with grey and another older man with milk-white hair.
¡°I see you found a couple of lads and lasses on your way.¡± The king said as he stood up to greet his friend and loyal warrior, his eyes stopping on the young giant.
There was a moment of awkward silence throughout the room as both the advisors and Thorwald turned to follow the king¡¯s gaze.
¡°An Arnessen,¡± the king mumbled. ¡°But the only ones out there... you¡¯re Bj?rn¡¯s son.¡±
¡°His name is Einar.¡± The older seeker remarked as the king stepped closer.
¡°Good,¡± the king let out a relieved sigh to everyone¡¯s surprise as he walked closer to pat the young giant on the shoulder. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re here despite Gunnar claiming that Bj?rn had no notable brats means that you have also become a God-marked somehow. This means that my father¡¯s edict is now annulled. Good.¡±
¡°My king...¡± One of the advisors tried to speak up but Baldr raised his hand to stop him.
¡°I won¡¯t talk ill of the dead, only that his curse is finally gone from these halls. Send word to the Arnessen and the Unfrid clans. Tell them that a God-marked Arnessen arrived from Bear-rock Island.¡±
¡°As you command.¡± A messenger from the side of the throne acknowledged before leaving the room.
¡°Now that we have the matter of that baleful edict out of the way,¡± King Baldr hummed. ¡°Let me welcome you all to Wolfhold! As you were already told, I aim to gather all the God-marked under the age of twenty-three and send them to the Torn Serpent Isles. You arrived quite late as tomorrow will be the last day we can wait for the incoming ships.¡±
A strange silence filled the room as no one dared to ask questions of the man.
¡°The morning after that you will sail out and hopefully reach the isles of the gods without any hindrance. For now, you are free to explore the capital and tomorrow evening we shall hold a farewell celebration in your honour. I will reveal more of your task during the celebration. Go now and enjoy your day.¡±
The group gave a slight bow to the king before they were led outside by the guards, Thorwald staying behind to tell the events of their journey. Once they were out of the fort, the young God-marked left in small groups to explore the city. Einar was left alone but cared little about it as he already made plans of his own. After all, he had a few ingots of Abralt steel to make use of and a small sack of Zubralt ore to get refined into something useable.
While walking through the crowded streets, he stopped a few times to ask different people, mostly guards and shopkeepers to see if they knew someone who could work with God-blessed equipment. The young seeker mostly received the same answer from the locals, pointing him in three directions. One was a blacksmith called Magni, who along with his daughter were said to be blessed forge masters.
The second was a woman known as Yngvildr who did ritual tattoos of power. The last one was a mystic called Hrefna who was supposedly a master craftswoman of talismans and the like. Spoiled for choices, Einar decided to first go to the blacksmith to sort out his metal-related issues. Following the directions given to him, Einar reached a large smithy near the edge of the rocky cliff overlooking the sea.
The shop was busy with half a dozen blacksmiths working at the back and a shop at the front. Warriors of different standings were waiting in line to either buy weapons or get their gear repaired. He too stepped in the line to wait his turn, but one of the shopkeepers immediately noticed him.
¡°Are you one of the God-marked that sailed here for the gathering?¡± The man asked, earning a slight nod.
¡°That would mean,¡± he waved him closer. ¡°You¡¯re here to get some work done on a God-blessed weapon or something like that.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Einar agreed with the man¡¯s assessment. ¡°I came across some good forging materials on the way here and wanted to see if they could be used to strengthen my kit or to be made into something useful.¡±
¡°Figured as much. Wait here. I¡¯ll go see if Master Magni is free.¡±
Saying that the man disappeared behind a corner door, only to return a good minute later with a young woman in tow. The woman was quite a surprising sight for Einar as she was almost as tall as he was, firm muscles covering her form beneath her bronze-tinged skin. Her topaz-like eyes shone as if a fire was burning behind them, a mess of crimson hair being tied behind her like a shoulder-long piece of rope. She stared at Einar for a moment, as if feeling a strange familiarity from him.
¡°You¡¯re an Arnessen, aren¡¯t you?¡± She asked after a few moments.
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¡°Einar,¡± he replied. ¡°Einar Arnessen. Why?¡±
¡°The Arnessen are the only known clan with frost giant blood in their veins,¡± the young woman explained. ¡°You likely awakened it during your ceremony of paths.¡±
¡°Are you...¡±
¡°No,¡± the woman shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not an Arnessen. You must be some faraway clan member if you don¡¯t know who I am.¡±
¡°I¡¯m from Bear-rock Island from the edge of the kingdom.¡±
¡°I see,¡± she nodded while opening the waist-high divider to let him in. ¡°That explains things. I¡¯m R¨²na, by the way. R¨²na Fireforge.¡±
¡°Fireforge?¡± Einar couldn¡¯t help but ask back after hearing the strange name.
¡°Yes,¡± R¨²na nodded. ¡°Daughter of Magni Fireforge, the best blacksmith of Wolfhold. While the Arnessen clan is blessed with the blood of frost giants, the Fireforge clan is a descendant of fire giants and a clan of master blacksmiths.¡±
¡°Was that why I...¡±
¡°You felt a strange familiarity when you¡¯ve seen me? Yes. It happens all the time when people from our clans meet one another. It¡¯s the giants¡¯ blood calling out to each other. Strange,¡± she muttered. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be bearing the blood of the frost giants and yet... hold on. You said that you were from Bear-rock Island, right? Then you must be Bj?rn the Dragon-hunter¡¯s son. No wonder you have fire in you as well. I did hear he drank the blood of a fire dragon.¡±
¡°Sounds like my father is a well-known man here, even after all these years.¡±
¡°Are you kidding? Who in Wolfhold hasn¡¯t heard of him fighting a dragon and then eloping with the then-future High King¡¯s bride-to-be? Your father is a small legend told by the older warriors of Wolfhold whenever someone brings up that dragon.¡±
¡°Damn.¡± Einar couldn¡¯t help but pinch his nose-bridge as R¨²na brought up the reason why his parents were exiled to Bear-rock Island before his birth.
¡°Sorry,¡± she apologised. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring up troublesome memories. I¡¯ve heard about the old king declaring an edict to banish your parents.¡±
¡°Since I¡¯m here, that proves that the edict had been annulled, so it¡¯s fine. Anyway, about my equipment.¡±
¡°Ah, yes,¡± the young woman cleared her throat awkwardly. ¡°I was told that you had some ¡®good¡¯ materials to work with.¡±
¡°We came across the sunken Eastern trading ship on our way here and I got my hands on a few ingots of Abralt steel and some Zubralt ore.¡±
¡°Abralt steel is one of the best mortal metals to work with when it comes to arms and armour,¡± R¨²na hummed as they kept walking through the large smithy that seemed to have been carved into the stone of the cliff-side. ¡°As for Zubralt, that could be called its equivalent when it comes to the mystical arts. I can smelt it down for you, but after that, it¡¯s best if you bring it over to Lady Hrefna. I¡¯m sure she could craft something useful out of it. The best I could do with it would be to ease the flow of spiritual power through your equipment. While that could be useful, this early on, it would be better to just get a good talisman.¡±
¡°A talisman? Like those necklaces?¡± Einar looked at her confused.
¡°Among other things,¡± she remarked as the two reached a workspace that was walled away from the rest of the smithy. ¡°Here we are, this is my forge. Let me see what you have.¡±
The young giant began to unpack his spoils onto a sturdy table, R¨²na¡¯s eyes widening as she watched the number of ingots and whatnot fill the table.
¡°When you said you have some Abralt steel, I figured you meant an ingot, maybe two. Not ten. And this ore,¡± she lifted the small sack. ¡°I should be able to smelt it down into an ingot.¡±
While explaining that, R¨²na grabbed one of the smaller crucibles and poured the Zubralt ore in it before putting the crucible onto the flames of the forge. This made Einar raise an eyebrow as she did so using only her bare hands. She then held her hands toward the forge while murmuring something, her fingers glowing red hot as the forge¡¯s flame awakened under her command. R¨²na turned back, noticing his strange expression which made her sigh.
¡°As I¡¯ve said before, my family is the descendant of fire giants. Mortal fires like this one can¡¯t harm us.¡±
¡°What did you do to the fire just now?¡±
¡°I lent it some of my power to shorten the smelting time. I also gave it a purpose so that it would refine a better quality metal. It¡¯s one of the things that give my clan the right to be called the best blacksmiths in the kingdom. While the crucible is heating up, we might as well get the rest of your kit out of the way. Strip.¡±
¡°Huh?¡± Einar stopped breathing for a moment at the young woman''s directness.
¡°Did you expect me to work on your equipment while you¡¯re wearing it?¡±
¡°I thought you would strengthen my sword,¡± he replied. ¡°Maybe my axes and seax too, but my armour? Beside the greaves and the metal platings of the bracers, it¡¯s almost completely leather.¡±
¡°Those can be reinforced too, not to mention the bucklers and studs. I can also infuse the essence of the Abralt into the leather as well, making it tougher and more resilient.¡±
¡°Will it be similar to the ritual the priestess did to ask the gods for their blessing?¡±
¡°Not exactly,¡± R¨²na corrected him while he pulled off his armour piece by piece. ¡°I will use my gift to draw out the power of the Abralt steel and infuse it into your arms and armour. There won¡¯t be any chants or rituals involved.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
¡°Just take a few steps back and watch. It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± Einar nodded and stepped back so she could do her work. The blacksmith laid out the pair of axes, seax and the now fully drawn sword on a large stone block, lining up several ingots of Abralt steel next to them. She then took up the stance he had seen a few times his local blacksmith use when working. R¨²na raised her right hand in the air as if grasping for something, fire seeping out from her skin to form a hammer made of pure yellowish flame.
She lowered the hammer atop the first ingot, the piece of metal melting away, only to be absorbed by the hammer. The woman then raised the hammer once again, her other hand grabbing the handle of the seax. She swung down her fiery hammer at the knife¡¯s blade, a crisp ringing sound filling the room. It was followed by three more strikes, each one turning the metal red-hot and even brighter. Then, it was over.
The heat and light faded as if it was killed off by being quenched and Einar found himself staring at a seax that was now a soft bluish hue instead of the rust-spotted iron grey he remembered. R¨²na handed his knife back to him to examine while she began working on the axes. Looking at the blade, it was now more... refined than before. Its spine and edge became straight, its surface smoother.
There was no sign of any rust. Or the dull grey iron for that matter. It was as if the blade had been forged from Abralt steel from the start. Its weight felt a bit heavier than before but it was a welcome change as it made it sink into his grasp a bit better. He sheathed it on his belt and then spent some time watching R¨²na use up two ingots to refine his axes.
One could argue that a single ingot should have been enough to forge two new axes, but since he had no idea how her power worked, he decided to leave it as is. She checked on the crucible from time to time between two swings. Soon the axes were done and she could turn her attention to the great sword, her eyes burning with excitement as she swung her fiery hammer at it again and again. It took five ingots to finish it, leaving her with two more to spend on the young giant¡¯s armour.
Book: 1 Cs. 12 Tattoos and talismans
By the time everything was done, Einar was left with weapons tinted in a soft blue hue, along with armour with bluish metal fittings and plates, and its leather parts becoming a bit darker as well.
¡°Now that I¡¯m done refining your kit, I just need to pour the Zubralt into a mould for you.¡± She said, grabbing the crucible with her bare hands once again, putting it down on an anvil for a moment to scrape some slag off the top before pouring out the liquid metal.
It ended up needing two small moulds, the young woman holding her opened palms toward the red-hot ingots after putting away the crucible. Einar watched as the ingots quickly lost their bright colour, heat flowing through the air toward R¨²na¡¯s fingers. Soon the ingots cooled down completely, prompting her to free them from the moulds. She scraped the surface of the first one with a file, nodding slowly as she watched the result of her work.
¡°They turned out to be a better quality than I expected. Now, about my payment.¡±
¡°Right.¡± The giant hummed as he began to reach for his coin pouch, but the woman stopped him.
¡°Normally, I would ask for about twenty gold...¡±
¡°Twenty gold?¡± Einar asked back, his eyes almost falling out of their sockets from the shock.
¡°You¡¯ve seen it yourself that working on God-blessed arms and armour isn¡¯t the same as your ordinary smithing work. Only two people can do it in the entire capital and I¡¯m one of them, so... yes. Twenty gold is even on the lower end. But, as I wanted to say, you can also pay with one of these.¡± She said while holding up the small reddish-hued ingot in front of him.
¡°The Zubralt ingot?¡±
¡°As I said, it¡¯s one of the best mortal metals to use for mystical tools and talismans and it¡¯s also quite hard to come by around here. The other one should be more than enough for you to get a talisman crafted. Or you could just pay in coins.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not that wealthy,¡± Einar sighed as he reached for the other piece of refined Zubralt. ¡°Fine. Keep the ingot.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± R¨²na said with a cheerful smile. ¡°I was starting to get worried that I would have to sail out toward the Torn Serpent Isles without a proper talisman, but now I can ask Lady Hrefna to make me one.¡±
¡°The isle of the gods? You¡¯re coming as well?¡± The young giant looked at her slightly surprised.
¡°Of course I am,¡± she replied, patting her forge apron-covered chest. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t obvious by now, I¡¯m a God-marked as well. I¡¯ve also only recently turned twenty-one, so I fit the age requirement as well.¡±
¡°At least I¡¯ll know whom to ask when I need to further strengthen my equipment.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± R¨²na nodded as they left her workshop. ¡°Looking forward to working with you Einar. You¡¯re a lot nicer than F¨®lki and Herleif.¡±
¡°And those are?¡±
¡°Your cousins, I guess,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Both God-marked and arrogant idiots to boot, but you¡¯ll meet them soon enough. And anyway, what are you going to do now?¡±
¡°I plan on visiting this... Lady Hrefna about the talisman and a woman called Yngvildr for some...¡±
¡°No,¡± R¨²na stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time with Yngvildr.¡±
¡°Why not? I¡¯ve heard she can do tattoos and...¡±
¡°It won¡¯t work on you,¡± she remarked. ¡°It only works on pure-blooded humans. No one with an awakened non-human bloodline can have man-made tattoos. Your body would think of it as a poison and reject it.¡±
¡°But...¡±
¡°Just trust me on this one,¡± she said with a slight shudder. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it either at first when my father told me about it and went to get one. The result was... unpleasant.¡±
¡°I see. But then how are we going to contend with those that have one?¡±
¡°Have you ever heard of the trial grounds, or proving grounds as some call it?¡±
¡°You mean the arenas where you prove yourself to the gods by overcoming some challenge? I did one back home. I had to fight nine waves of enemies.¡± Einar recalled his battle in the destroyed village.
¡°You usually get a bloodline-related tattoo the moment you finish your ritual of paths and awaken your bloodline, but getting more can be troublesome. The man-made ritual tattoos are meant to mimic ours and bestow minor blessings on their owner. My father told me that someone with an awakened bloodline can only gain tattoos by strengthening their bloodline or surviving on the proving grounds.¡± R¨²na explained.
¡°I did get a scale-shaped tattoo, but I don¡¯t know what it does,¡± the young giant admitted. Helga didn¡¯t explain it and there was no record of it in my inner realm.¡±
¡°Scales are usually meant for defence, so yours should have a similar purpose.¡±
¡°Draconic hide,¡± Einar thought aloud. ¡°I remember it saying something about damage resistance, although I thought it was part of my bloodline inheritance like the fire and frost resistance but...¡±
¡°No,¡± the young woman argued. ¡°If someone awakens an element-related bloodline like us, the first bloodline feat they receive is usually a slight resistance to that element. Having a resistance to getting hurt sounds like a blessing granted by a tattoo. The one I awakened was the tattoo of the forge and, well... you¡¯ve already seen what I can do with it.¡±
¡°I guess you lucked out.¡± He sighed, but the woman just rolled her eyes.
¡°You received a blessing that would help you in battle. Mine was meant to help me craft things. All awakened tattoos are meant to fit their bearer and can grow in strength. Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll become impervious to mortal weapons soon enough.¡±
¡°That could be useful against other God-marked early on.¡±
¡°Anyway, you should get going if you want that talisman. Lady Hrefna is a busy woman. Oh, and by the way. Wolfhold has a proving ground too. Just ask about it from any guardsman and they will point you in the right direction. See you at the feast?¡±
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¡°Hopefully.¡± Einar remarked as he left, his mind still heavy with the new knowledge he gained.
Why didn¡¯t Helga tell him anything? He felt like a fool asking about every little thing that seemed to be common knowledge among the other God-marked. Or at least, the ones in the capital. He remembered how the others from Bear-rock Island and the people who joined them from the other two villages along the way seemed to be just as clueless as he was.
As for the older God-marked like Thorwald, they just kept saying that the young ones would figure things out with time. Still, Einar was glad that he found out about these things early on. Wolfhold was big, but thanks to the guards he asked while walking, the seeker made his way to a place that reminded him a bit of Helga¡¯s shrine. The front area of the stone-walled building had two large granite slabs placed on both sides of the entrance, faintly glowing runes covering them.
There was a sign above the door, marking it as a shop of sorts, although the smell of incense that struck him upon entering told otherwise. Two women stood behind the counter, dressed in clothes one would expect to see on a seeress. Charms and jewellery of many shapes and materials hung from the wall behind them or were placed on neatly carved wooden cabinet shelves. He could see people trying to pick the right talisman for themselves, some discretely asking for a chance to meet Lady Hrefna if possible. When it was finally his turn to step up to the counter, the woman on the left called out to him.
¡°Welcome to Seeress Hrefna¡¯s Talisman Emporium,¡± she said with a somewhat dull tone, the word ¡®emporium¡¯ rolling off her tongue with a clear distaste. ¡°What kind of blessing do you seek to carry with you?¡±
¡°I came to meet with Lad Hrefna.¡±
¡°So does everyone else.¡± The other trader scoffed.
¡°R¨²na Fireforge suggested I¡¯d seek her out to get a talisman made out of this.¡± Einar explained with a steadily growing annoyance towards the two as he put the small Zubralt ingot on the counter with a bit more force than he should have.
The two shuddered at the sound of the ingot being pressed into the hardwood counter by his fingers, but their eyes soon turned wide as they seemingly recognised the red-hued metal.
¡°I¡¯ll go and see if she¡¯s available.¡± The woman on the left squeaked before scurrying away with hasted steps.
What followed was a minute of awkward silence as the other merchant didn¡¯t dare to say a word or look the young giant in the eyes, the people behind him also standing quietly as only the bravest among them dared to peek at the Zubralt ingot from behind his left side. Soon, a woman came out from behind the door where the first shopkeeper disappeared, her eyes glued not onto the precious metal, but at Einar.
¡°A God-marked of fire and ice,¡± she said, her face filled with a morose surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Bj?rn Arnessen¡¯s runt to show up on my doorstep, let alone with such a thing in hand. Come, lad. Let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s time.¡±
Everyone stood there, frozen in silence as the seeress ushered in the youth, the two disappearing into the back of the shop. Einar was led through a narrow hallway that opened into what we could only describe as the mixture of a shrine and a workshop. The smell of incense hung heavy in the air, along with the scent of bone, leather, metal and wood. Hrefna walked over to a work table made of thick wood which was covered with tools and the remains of materials she likely used to craft her talismans. She pointed at a sturdy-looking chair while sitting down on a smaller one herself.
¡°Tell me,¡± she finally broke the silence. ¡°How is your mother?¡±
¡°Mother,¡± the youth looked at her somewhat surprised. ¡°She¡¯s doing fine. Or at least, she seemed to be, although she was hiding her grief.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the woman nodded. ¡°I guess she took hard having to let you go. Astrid was always a kind and caring woman. Always quiet and docile. That¡¯s why everyone was surprised when she decided to elope with your father instead of marrying King Baldr as her clan decided. And what about your father? Is the famous dragon hunter still as hotheaded as he was in his youth?¡±
¡°Not really,¡± he shook his head. ¡°He acted quite responsible most of the time when I was around, although he could still anger mother with his antics.¡±
¡°I can imagine. Now, let me have a look at you.¡±
As she said that, Hrefna¡¯s grey eyes began to glow softly. She stared at Einar for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh.
¡°I can hardly believe that someone could awaken two bloodlines so opposite of each other, but here you are. Your father¡¯s deed of drinking from that dragon¡¯s blood came to you as a blessing. Still, you will need more than that if you want to have a chance of surviving on the Torn Serpent Isles.¡±
¡°Is it that bad there?¡± Einar asked, recalling how most people spoke of the isles of the gods with veneration while others with dread.
¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve already told you how King Baldr¡¯s seeresses had the same vision, making them proclaim the whole God-marked gathering and all. While I¡¯m sure he will tell you more about it, do not let his gilded words fool you. The Torn Serpent is full of beasts of myths and horrors best left unspoken. You will need every bit of ruthlessness, strength and wit you can muster if you want to survive.¡±
Her words painted a dark picture in Einar¡¯s mind as he slowly began to understand that the glorious adventure they were being called upon might just cut his new life short.
¡°I see you¡¯ve been lucky enough to come across some good materials to further refine the junk the gods so kindly ¡®bestowed¡¯ upon you. A clear proof that young R¨²na is getting better at her craft. But you¡¯ll need more than leather and steel. You¡¯ll need magic. That¡¯s where I come in.¡±
Here, the woman reached out to take the near palm-sized Zubralt ingot away from him.
¡°You might not feel it yet, but your soul is stronger than that of other mortals. All God-marked¡¯s is. This... spiritual power flows through our world and you as well. I know what you must be thinking. You are a warrior, not a shaman or some such. Why would you want to learn the mystic arts? You will have to because sooner or later, your life will depend on it.¡±
¡°But I don¡¯t know anything about rituals or spells.¡± Einar argued.
¡°Few people do,¡± she remarked while examining the small Zubralt ingot. ¡°One needs to have a strong soul and a lot of effort goes into the use of rituals. For God-marked like you, it¡¯s best to have a totem or a talisman that could channel your power for you. Your first talisman is of grave importance. It will bestow upon you a power to even out your weakness. Now think. What is it that you believe you¡¯re lacking?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted. ¡°I have good armour, a fine sword and axes. But... I don¡¯t have a way to defend myself against attacks or to hit distant enemies.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Hrefna nodded as she listened. ¡°That¡¯s a good start. I can help with those in more ways than one. However, the first solution to your ranged combat problem would only reach a spear throw distance. If you want a true long-range weapon, I would need to create a new god-blessed weapon for you.¡±
¡°You can do that?¡± The young giant looked at her surprised.
¡°Of course, I can, she said with unbridled pride. Both Magni Fireforge and I are capable of it, although he only works with melee weapons and armour. I, however, can create a bow for you. If you can get me some fine wood.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have much left after visiting the smithy,¡± Einar sighed as he began to pull out different sorts of materials from his world eater pouch. ¡°I have a leftover ingot of Abralt steel and ebony wood from an Eastern trading ship, a long branch of Ash wood from back home, some linen and silk and...¡±
¡°That¡¯s more than enough,¡± Hrefna stopped him. ¡°That Ash wood branch is glowing with spiritual energy.¡±
¡°I got it from our seeress, Helga. She said that it could come in handy one day.¡±
¡°A wise woman that one,¡± the talisman crafter hummed. ¡°It will serve well as the limbs. As for the ebony, that should be the core. A piece of silk should also be used for the bow and I¡¯ll add some other pieces for you. As for your talisman, a pair of bracelets should be fine. They should fit well under your gloves and bracers.¡±
She explained her plans, the woman picked up the materials she named and brought them over to another table.
¡°Now go,¡± she said. ¡°I need an hour or two alone. I¡¯m sure you can find a way to spend your time until then.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 12 The trial of Wolfhold
Einar wanted to say something to Hrefna but it was clear that the woman knew what she was doing, so arguing with her would have been pointless.
¡°I¡¯ll be back later then.¡± He said as he turned and left, finding the two shopkeepers busy back in the front room of the shop.
The young giant left in the place, already knowing where he¡¯d go next. Thanks to the directions he got from the local guards, he soon found the proving ground that was surrounded by a cheering crowd. Einar walked closer, only to see that someone was already fighting there. It was a familiar face, one of the young God-marked from the same ship he sailed here.
He didn¡¯t know his name, as the young man barely talked with anyone. His death glares and stubborn silence made sure that nobody disturbed him during their time on the ship. Now, the young giant could finally see him doing more than just glaring daggers at others. He was now stabbing daggers into what he recognised as the netherworld wretches he too, had fought against before.
The seax-wielding youth was bleeding quite heavily with dozens of claw marks showing on his body. After two or so minutes, he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and had to retreat outside the ritual circle. The crowd applauded him for his effort, but the youth was angry at his failure. A man dressed in strange, bone ornament dotted robes walked out from the crowd, raising his voice.
¡°A valiant effort, but it seems it was not meant to be. Is there anyone else who wishes to take on the challenge of the gods? Perhaps one of you, young ones?¡± He asked while looking at the group of God-marked that arrived with Einar.
They looked hesitant to step into the arena, Ingrid trying to push Haftor to volunteer, but her brother wasn¡¯t willing.
¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Einar said as he walked closer. ¡°Although I just arrived and do not know the rules of this challenge yet.¡±
¡°Good,¡± the man nodded as he waved the youth closer. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that there¡¯s at least one more new God-marked that¡¯s brave enough not to run from a fight. The rules are simple. Place your drinking horn on the altar and make your offering, then fight against the wretches sent to measure your worth. You can stay in the arena for five turns at best. After each fight, you can decide to either take your earnings and leave or to fight on in hopes of gaining more. However, if you back out during the fight, you¡¯ll lose whatever the gods bestowed upon you along with your offering.¡±
¡°Sounds simple enough.¡± The young giant hummed as he looked at the stone altar at the other end of the large fighting circle that was surrounded by rune-carved boulders.
¡°This is a challenge of might and not the mind,¡± the man remarked. ¡°It¡¯s meant to be direct and bloody. Now go, if you wish to challenge it.¡±
After a moment of thinking, the stranger couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.
¡°Do you have a ceremonial horn yet? If not, you can buy one over there.¡±
¡°No need,¡± Einar shook his head. ¡°I already earned a horn in a previous challenge.¡±
¡°I see.¡± The man let out a content sigh as the youth walked over to the altar.
Einar moved with slow steps, the crowd outside the proving ground staring at him while yelling different encouraging words or saying that he wouldn¡¯t even last for one round. He shut out the distracting voices, only thinking of the fights ahead. He didn¡¯t know which of the five turns the previous youth was in, but he managed to count four enemies. Four wretches at the same time was indeed a challenge.
Fighting aside, there was also the question of what he was going to offer to the gods. He didn¡¯t have much left after using up most of the things he got from the sunken ship to strengthen his equipment, but he still had an Abralt steel ingot. As he reached the rune-carved stone slab that served as the altar, he placed the drinking horn on it along with the ingot. Einar didn¡¯t know if he had to pray or ask for the challenge, but his answer soon arrived when the ingot floated up into the air a few inches above the altar and crumbled into modes of light that flew toward the stones which served as the arena¡¯s boundary.
A glowing veil of light rippled out from the stones, forming a wall around the proving ground. The young giant could feel the ground beneath him tremble as a familiar sight occurred. A shield-sized patch of black smoke seeped out from the ground not far ahead of him, clawed hands reaching out from it as a netherworld wretch climbed out of the smoke. Einar walked forward while unsheathing his sword, taking a swing at the creature before it could even stand up. He split it in half in a single swing, earning a wave of amazed and shocked squeals from the crowd.
He then stomped on the still-moving wretch¡¯s head, crushing it in an instant. With that, the first round was over as the corpse of the wretch turned into ash in a flash of fire, the flames forming into a chestnut-sized ball that shot toward the drinking horn. As the pale red flame stopped above the horn, he could feel it pull at his mind, beckoning him to take his prize. ¡®No.¡¯ He thought to himself, gripping his weapon tightly as he readied himself for the next round. As if to answer his thoughts, two new smoke patches appeared on the ground and two new wretches climbed out from them.
Einar rushed over to cleave the first one in half, barely killing it before the second one jumped at him. He took a step back while swinging his blade upward, cutting into the creature¡¯s guts and chest. It didn¡¯t care much about the injury as it only staggered for a moment before continuing its attack. The youth swung his blade horizontally, the wretch jumping right into the attack. ¡®These things aren¡¯t too smart.¡¯ He thought to himself as he finished off the monster.
With the fight over, the corpses burned to ash, their flames fusing into a tiny ball of amber-hued fire that joined its red companion above the drinking horn. Einar managed to rest up for a few seconds before the proving ground decided that he was not going to give up and summoned the arbiters of his next challenge. Four of them this time. He was ready for their appearance now and immediately rushed out after creatures began to crawl their way out of wherever they came from, killing two of them before they managed to get up from the ground.
The crowd kept cheering as he faced the other two, the human-shaped horrors rushing at him at the same time. Einar took a swing at the right one before bashing into the one on the left with his shoulder. The wretch fell on its back while the one that got cut only staggered a bit. He managed to finish off his downed enemy. but at the cost of the other one raking its inch-long claws across his armour. The young giant stomped the monster in the guts, sending it backwards before beheading the wretch, stomping on the head as it was rolling away.
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The remains of his fallen enemies burned to ash once again, their fires uniting into a dark green ball of flame that flew toward the altar. ¡®Three down, two more to go. Next, it should be... eight enemies.¡¯ The seeker thought to himself while staring at the bluish-hued sword in his hand that was dripping black blood from its edge. His next challengers began to crawl out of the patches of smoke on the ground, Einar trying to end as many of them as possible while they were vulnerable. He managed to kill three of them this time, but that still left him with five to face.
Fighting against five enemies simultaneously, the young giant realised that swinging his large blade about was not going to go well, so he willed its blade to shrink down to a two and a half feet length while also pulling one of his short-handled axes from his world eater pouch. With a sword in one hand and an axe in the other, Einar began to fight like a madman, kicking and swinging at his enemies, earning plenty of claw marks on his armour and skin. The crowd watched his actions with a baffled expression, the youth earning both cheers and shocked squeals while fighting.
Soon the last wretch perished and their bodies turned to ash, another ball of red fire joining the others above the altar. ¡®Last round.¡¯ He thought with ragged breaths escaping him. ¡®That means sixteen enemies.¡¯ The idea of facing sixteen of those damn things sent shivers down his spine as he, for a brief moment, considered taking what he had earned and leaving. ¡®If I can¡¯t even defeat these things then I won¡¯t survive on the Thorn Serpent either.¡¯ Einar growled inwardly as his stubbornness flared up along with the cinder-like glow between his locks of red hair.
He let out a roar as he dashed toward the newly appearing wretches, swinging and stomping like a mad giant. Six of the netherworld horrors ended up dead before they could even stand, the remaining ten all rushing at him. From there, it quickly devolved into a bloodbath. Claws raked across Einar¡¯s armour, striking sparks when they reached metal, spurting blood where they met skin. He was bleeding from dozens of small wounds as he bashed one of his enemies with his shoulder, hacking at another one with his axe a moment later before slashing at yet another one with his sword.
The seeker fought like a maddened beast, but there were too many of them. The best choice would have been to retreat behind the safety of the wall and¡ ¡®No!¡¯ He screamed inside his mind, a red haze of fury slowly clouding his vision. The worried crowd shuddered when the youth let out a mighty roar akin to a dragon, his dark crimson hair flaring up with bright flames. A wave of heat rushed out of his body as an unfamiliar bloodlust and strength filled him. He wanted to win. He had to win. He had to destroy them all!
The people outside the proving ground gasped as they watched Einar¡¯s movements becoming faster and filled with a new weight, his weapons cutting deep into the netherworld wretches. One by one, the human-shaped horrors fell beneath his onslaught, the last one being crushed beneath his boot as he stomped on its chest, a wave of crushing fire incinerating it. One last roar left Einar¡¯s throat as his mind began to clear, weariness taking over with the bloodlust leaving him.
The broken remains of his former enemies littered the ground all over the arena, each one bursting into flames that rose into the air, fusing into two chestnut-sized balls of fire. One burned with a deep blue hue, the other shining with the splendour of bright gold. The fire orbs floated toward the altar where they joined the other four above the drinking horn. They formed a circle, slowly spinning for a few seconds before dropping into the horn one by one. Einar slowly made his way toward the altar beneath the silent gaze of the crowd.
He reached out and grabbed the drinking horn that was now filled with a steaming liquid of myriad colours, a strange thought taking hold of him. The young giant looked up at the crowd, raising his horn in the air with a roar of triumph. The onlookers burst into a cheer of victory as they applauded and whistled, the youth drinking the divine brew from the horn. A burning sensation rushed through his body as his many wounds healed, leaving no scar behind. If not for the blood that was already drying on his armour, no one would have been able to tell that barely a minute ago he was still fighting for his life.
¡°Today we have witnessed a glorious battle,¡± the strangely dressed man walked into the centre of the arena while speaking in a loud enough voice to drown out the chair of the crowd. ¡°The gods are pleased and their reward has been claimed. All that remains is to carve this warrior¡¯s name onto the wall of champions. Tell us, lad. What is your name?¡±
¡°His name is Einar Arnessen.¡± a heavy voice boomed from the arena¡¯s entrance where a group of warriors stood. ¡°Son of Bj?rn Arnessen the dragon hunter.¡±
¡°The son of the dragon hunter?¡± The man mumbled to himself. ¡°It seems the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree.¡±
¡°Come on, lad,¡± Einar heard the stranger from the arena¡¯s entrance called out to him. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go.¡±
¡°Do I know you?¡± The youth asked back confused as he walked closer, the tall man with greying hair letting out a deep sigh after hearing his question.
¡°You don¡¯t but it¡¯s not your fault. High King Carr was a petty man. His edict forbade anyone to reach out to your parents, so you could only hear about me from their tales at best.¡±
Listening to those words the young giant walked near the man, realizing that they were almost the same height. The aged warrior patted him on the shoulder with a wide grin.
¡°Let me have a look at you, lad!¡± the man said as he examined Einar for a few moments before hugging him, only letting go of him to turn toward the others behind them. ¡°Tonight we celebrate. My grandson had finally come home!¡±
¡°You¡¯re¡ grandfather Bodvar?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the greying-haired giant laughed as he led the youth away. ¡°And this is your uncle, St¨ªgr and your cousin F¨®lki.¡±
¡°I must say,¡± the young man his grandfather introduced said with a scoff. ¡°When I heard it you came home as a God-marked, I was somewhat excited but after seeing you fight, it¡¯s all gone.¡±
¡°F¨®lki!¡± His father grumbled.
¡°What? You¡¯ve seen him fight, same as me. He barely managed to kill off those wretches. After all the tales you told me about Uncle Bj?rn, I expected him to be a proper warrior but he barely knows how to swing a sword.¡±
¡°He wasn¡¯t born a God-marked like you,¡± the old man remarked. ¡°So he learned slower, just like any mortal warrior. And besides. Knowing my son, he likely spent more time training him using axes just like he does.¡±
¡°Whatever.¡± F¨®lki ended the argument as he left, joining some group not too far away from them.
Book: 1 Ch. 13 Talismans and family meetings
¡°Don¡¯t take his words to heart,¡± St¨ªgr said as they began to walk away. ¡°My son likes to compare everyone to himself but tends to forget that not everyone had the same chances in their youth as he did. Come. The rest of the clan is already waiting for you back home.¡±
¡°Can we first stop at Lady Hrefna¡¯s emporium?¡±
¡°Hrefna?¡± his grandfather hummed. ¡°Did you get her to craft you a talisman?¡±
¡°Yes. She told me that she should be ready in an hour or two, but...¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± old Bodvar said. ¡°There are a couple of places in Wolfhold you ought to see anyway.¡±
His grandfather was true to his word and showed him around Wolfhold, stopping at notable places like the grand shrines of the Gods. As it turned out, the Arnessen clan was kept in high regard by the people of Wolfhold due to them being excellent warriors and hardy defenders of the kingdom. Bodvar kept asking him about his parents and his siblings, the man¡¯s face a mixture of pain and pride as he listened to Einar¡¯s stories about his childhood and his parents. He also asked a few questions about the God-marked, his uncle answering them earnestly.
The Arnessen clan had seven God-marked, including Einar. His godfather was one of them, one of his aunts and uncle, F¨®lki, Herleif as well as an older cousin who was over twenty-six and was away on a raid. One of his sudden questions earned him the knowledge that God-marked were forbidden from fighting each other outside of sanctioned duels, but that law was likely absent from the Torn Serpent.
St¨ªgr warned him that the moment he arrived on the island he would have to consider every other God-marked as a potential enemy because upon killing each other, they could use the ritual horn to tear away and refine some of their enemy¡¯s god-given power. Normally one could expect some solidarity due to them belonging to the same kingdom, but over there, things would be different. He would have to pick his allies wisely or be prepared to take on everyone else alone. With their short tour over, the three of them returned to Hrefna''s talisman shop, the shopkeepers freezing in place as they saw the three giants walk into the shop.
¡°Sorry to bother you lot,¡± Bodvar said with a firm tone. ¡°Is Hrefna done with my grandson¡¯s talisman yet?¡±
¡°I... I¡¯ll go and ask.¡± The woman behind the counter muttered before turning around to leave with hasty steps.
Einar could barely hold back a chuckle as he watched the greying-haired warrior scare the shopkeeper due to him hearing how she treated the young giant. A minute or so later the woman returned with Hrefna in tow.
¡°For some reason, I¡¯m not surprised that you already found him,¡± Hrefna spoke to Bodvar. ¡°The two of you wait here. This is between him and me.¡±
¡°The payment...¡±
¡°Is also between him and me.¡± The woman stopped Bodvar as she led Einar away.
Once the two of them were alone, the seeress spoke her mind.
¡°Your grandfather is a stubborn man,¡± she remarked. ¡°It seems to run in your family. Now, before I give you your talismans, let¡¯s talk about my payment.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Einar agreed, already feeling a headache creeping in.
¡°I¡¯m not asking for your coin or any other thing you owe, the woman stated. ¡°Instead, you pay me with a favour.¡±
¡°A favour?¡±
¡°Yes. I need you to bring something to the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± he agreed. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not dangerous or something against the rules.¡±
¡°No,¡± the woman shook her head as she led him to a stone urn. ¡°I want you to bring this to the isles of the gods and bury it beneath the roots of the first Ash tree you come across.¡±
¡°This is...¡±
¡°My mother¡¯s ashes,¡± Hrefna answered with a saddened voice. ¡°She was a great seeress and a worshipper of Dagne, the goddess of spring and renewal. She always wanted to visit the Torn Serpent Isles but knew that she could never reach it in her lifetime. You will help her reach it, even if in her death.¡±
¡°If that is what you want,¡± he agreed, putting the stone urn inside his world eater pouch. ¡°Do I need any burial ritual or¡¡±
¡°No,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Just bury her and be on your way. You¡¯ll have plenty of things to deal with. For now, let me tell you about your talismans.¡±
Hrefna walked over to one of the worktables, picking up two leather bracelets that had a strip of red metal woven into them with leather strips. Both add different sets of runes carved into them that glowed with a faint golden hue. She handed them over, pointing out which one was to be worn on his left and right wrists. They seemed to fit between his gloves and bracers, the armour pieces covering most of the talisman from sight.
¡°The talisman on your left-hand holds your bow, ready to be summoned and dismissed by a thought.¡±
Einar nodded as he focused on the bracelet and grabbed the air in front of him. A quick spew of fire burst out from his empty grasp and took on the shape of a recurve bow. As the flames disappeared, a wooden bow remained behind, its limbs narrow, ending in roughly carved dragon heads that held the bowstring in their opened mouths. The middle of the bow was dark, reminding him of the ebony wood he left with the seeress, a sanded strip of bone covering the area where the arrow was meant to be placed. He grabbed the string with his right hand¡¯s fingers and slowly drew on it, watching as the limbs bent further back. After slowly letting it back, the youth dismissed the bow in another splash of fire.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a good bow,¡± he remarked. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get a few arrows for it.¡±
¡°It can be strengthened the same way your other arms and armour,¡± the seeress claimed. ¡°The amulet also has a spell sealed in it.¡±
¡°A spell?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she nodded proudly. ¡°That one however will require your spiritual energy to manifest. Focus your mind and reach for it, just as you did with your bow.¡±
Einar did as told and as he grasped at the air, it cracked with a chilling cold. Ice spread out from beneath his fingers, covering his glove and bracer before quickly spreading out in a circle, forming a shield of ice on his arm. It was at least as thick as his thumb and he could see through it quite well.
¡°A shield of ice,¡± he hummed. ¡°It looks interesting but how strong is it?¡±
¡°As strong as any mortal shield,¡± Hrefna claimed. ¡°Its power will grow with the talisman and your spirit. The stronger those two are, the stronger your shield will be.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°I see,¡± the youth nodded as he dismissed the shield that rapidly evaporated. ¡°Thank you. This will help me a lot.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure of that,¡± the woman agreed. ¡°And so will the spell in your other talisman. It allows you to summon a throwing spear of fire or ice. You can use it for melee and ranged fights alike but please don¡¯t summon it here! I don¡¯t want anything to catch on fire. You¡¯ll have to practice with them later to see how many times you can summon each before they take their toll on you.¡±
The young giant looked at his right hand, fighting the urge to summon a spear of ice, but in the end, he just let it go.
¡°You should go now. Bodvar must be getting impatient outside.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Einar said with a sincere tone. ¡°For everything.¡±
¡°No need to thank me, just fulfil your promise.¡±
¡°I will. Farewell.¡±
He left the workshop, finding Bodvar and St¨ªgr waiting for him at the shop.
¡°Are you done?¡± His grandfather asked, earning a nod.
¡°Good. We should get going then,¡± St¨ªgr said from the side. ¡°The feast should be ready by now.¡±
The three of them left the shop, Einar following their lead for a good half an hour before they reached a large stonewalled house that kind of reminded him of his home back in Bear-rock Island. As soon as he entered the building, the youth got washed away by the crowd of people who came to greet him. Several aunts, uncles, cousins and the like came to see the lost child of their clan.
¡°He looks just like Bj?rn did when he was his age.¡± One of his aunts gushed as she patted him on the back.
¡°Bj?rn was a bit shorter,¡± a man remarked with a smirk. ¡°And that red hair with those eyes. The lad must have awakened the dragon blood he inherited from his father.¡±
¡°Good,¡± yet another, much older woman hummed. ¡°Our clan will be able to send three God-marked to the Torn Serpent. Only the Ironheart clan can match that.¡±
¡°Bah,¡± St¨ªgr spat disdainfully. ¡°Those Ironheart brats are barely able to lift their blades, let alone fight off a wretch or something bigger. Einar here fought more than twenty of them across the five rounds of the trial and got away with all of his innards still in their places.¡±
¡°Forget about the Ironhearts! Come on lad, tell us about your parents. How are they doing? What about the little ones?¡± An older aunt asked, the crowd eagerly waiting for the answers.
Einar spent the next few hours telling them about the way they lived on Bear-rock Island. He told them about his childhood, his hunts with Bj?rn and how his younger siblings were growing up and such things. He then recalled the day of the Proving and how he became a God-marked. His relatives listened to his tale with bated breath, almost everyone cheering by the end of it while some were growling at the thought of how Haftor and Ingrid almost got him killed.
¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that the gods would give you their blessing just because you managed to kill a damn bear.¡± A young woman said from the side, the crowd turning toward her.
¡°Herleif,¡± a woman chided. ¡°You might think it to be a simple thing to do, but for us ordinary folk, it is a great achievement.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t doubt that it¡¯s a big thing for most people, but it¡¯s hardly something worthy of becoming a God-marked over.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not up to us to question the reasons for a God¡¯s actions,¡± someone noted from the crowd. ¡°You were chosen at birth while Einar was chosen when he participated in the Proving. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±
¡°Whatever.¡± Herleif shrugged before leaving, some of the older members of the family shaking their heads at her strangeness.
¡°Don¡¯t mind her,¡± St¨ªgr sighed. ¡°Both she and F¨®lki grew up being treated with reverence due to them being God-marked. Now that we have another one of the same generation, it must be bothersome for them to share that same attention.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Einar shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to fight either of them unless they give me a reason to do so.¡±
¡°Good lad,¡± one of her aunts praised. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of people to look out for on the Torn Serpent Isles even without those two.¡±
The rest of the afternoon and early evening went by cheerfully, Einar feeling both awkward and happy as he spent time with his new relatives. Sometime during the evening feast a messenger came by, handing a letter to Bodvar. The man quickly read it, his brows creasing before he gave a nod to the messenger.
¡°Is something wrong, father?¡± St¨ªgr asked, the merry crowd turning toward their clan leader.
¡°A message from Narve Unfrid.¡± The greying-haired giant said as he sat back.
¡°What does the old goat-shagger want?¡± A woman asked from the side.
¡°What do you think?¡± Bodvar sighed. ¡°He wants to meet his grandson. When word came that Einar arrived at Wolfhold, I sent him word that we would bring the lad home. Now he says that since we got to spend the day with Einar, he should visit them tomorrow.¡±
¡°He can go fuck a goat,¡± one of Einar¡¯s aunts remarked with a growl. ¡°The bastard has no right to see him after all he did.¡±
¡°They are also his family,¡± Bodvar sighed. ¡°Even if Narve is a bastard, he should still see Einar before they leave for the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind meeting them,¡± Einar spoke up, everyone turning toward him with clear surprise. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Wolfhold the day after tomorrow and I might never return. I want to at least meet them.¡±
¡°Good,¡± his grandfather nodded. ¡°The old goat might be a bastard, but your grandmother is at least worth the time. For now, let¡¯s eat and drink until we drop.¡±
The rest of the evening went by fast as Einar spent time eating and drinking with the others before being led to a bath that was prepared for him. The Arnessen clan had quite a few thralls, the one showing him to the bath being surprisingly eager to help him with bathing. Although the girl was charming and eager, the young giant still said no to her advances. His thoughts drifted back to Kari, the pain of leaving her still fresh to him.
A long bath later he was shown to a room where a large bed awaited him, sleep coming fast as he drifted off. When morning came, the sound of the rooster woke him up, prompting the young giant to get dressed. The previous night¡¯s celebration left its mark on the dining room which was still being cleaned by the thralls. One of them led him to the kitchen where he was surprised to meet his grandfather.
¡°You woke up quite early,¡± Bodvar remarked. ¡°It seems you hadn¡¯t drunk enough. Nor did you take up little Mara on her offer.¡±
¡°I... I couldn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Couldn¡¯t?¡± The old warrior asked back, his gaze lowering toward the youth¡¯s waist.
¡°It''s just,¡± Einar explained to clear things up, the old man¡¯s gaze snapping back up toward his face. ¡°I... had someone on Bear-rock Isle.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Bodvar sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been on quite a few raids throughout my life so I know how hard it is to leave someone behind, knowing that you might never see them again. But you have to know that...¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be a one-way trip to the Torn Serpent?¡± The young giant asked. ¡°I know. Thorwald already told me. He also told me that I should let Kari and everyone else fade into a nice memory to think back on, but nothing else.¡±
¡°A fine advice from a man who left on deadly quests and raids more times than I dare to count. You should take his advice. Still, you should clear your head and get ready to meet your other grandfather. That old bastard might talk though when he first sees you, but I know him. He was heartbroken after losing your mother due to King Carr¡¯s edict.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 14 The Kings farewell feast
Bodvar seemed conflicted for a moment as he recalled the distant past, but his mood soon returned to its original gruffness.
¡°Of course, he blamed me for raising your father to be a dumb womaniser, but that¡¯s just him talking out of his arse. Still, speaking of the Unfrid clan, you should get something to eat and then I¡¯ll bring you over to them.¡±
¡°So soon?¡± Einar asked back surprised.
¡°No point in keeping you from them, since this is your last day in Wolfhold.¡±
As they spoke, one of the thralls brought out a wooden plate with fresh bread and smoked meat on it. The youth ate what he was given in a bit over a minute while listening to Bodvar then the two left their ancestral home. Wolfhold was still quiet as they walked through the empty streets, a squad of patrolling guards giving a respectful nod to Bodvar from the distance. The old warrior led his grandson to a large longhouse-styled building, his hammer-like fist knocking on the door. When it opened and a servant stepped out to meet them, he spoke with a heavy tone.
¡°Tell that old bastard Narve that I brought over his grandson as agreed.¡±
The thrall hurriedly left, closing the door in front of them. A few minutes of awkward silence later it opened up once again, a grey-haired couple showing up from behind it.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to show up so early you bastard.¡± The man said just before getting elbowed in the side by the woman.
¡°Oh shut it you old oaf,¡± she said, her eyes tearing up as she looked at Einar. ¡°My dear boy! Welcome home!¡±
She stepped forward, hugging the young giant at the waist, her head barely reaching his chest.
¡°Although we¡¯ve never met before, I¡¯m...¡±
¡°Granny Unnr,¡± he said with a smile as he hugged her back. ¡°You look just like how mother described you, except for the hair colour.¡±
¡°You cheeky brat! Come, let¡¯s get you inside. And Bodvar,¡± she looked back at the man. ¡°Thank you for bringing my grandson home.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Unnr. Just make sure he gets to tonight¡¯s farewell feast without that goat fucker boring him to death.¡±
¡°You damn...¡± Narve tried to curse at the already-leaving Bodvar, but Unnr closed the door before the two could get into yet another fight.
Einar was led further inside by Unnr, the elderly woman showing great strength as she dragged him along.
¡°When we heard that you had arrived in Wolfhold,¡± his grandmother spoke with an excited tone. ¡°We couldn¡¯t believe it at first. As you surely know, no one was able to reach out to your parents or visit you due to King Carr¡¯s edict. What little we knew from the traders that did visit Bear-rock Isle, none of you children were born God-marked.¡±
¡°I became one on the day of the Proving.¡± Einar explained.
¡°It must be quite a tale then,¡± Unnr chimed as she led him to a long table. ¡°Sit. Most of the family are still asleep but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll join us soon enough. And you, Narve. Why hadn¡¯t you said a thing to your grandson yet?¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to say anything with you chattering about.¡±
¡°You...¡± The old woman scoffed, staring daggers into her husband.
¡°Is your mother doing alright?¡± The man finally asked after a few awkward moments of silence.
¡°She is,¡± the young giant nodded. ¡°She and father are both living a good life, all things considered. I tried to help out as much as I could too. Hallr and Edda grew up healthy too, a bit mischievous, but nothing too outrageous.¡±
Einar then began to recall their life back home, just like he did at the Arnessen clan. The members of the Unfrid clan began to show up one by one throughout his tales, greeting him with a warm smile and plenty of pats on the back. It was strange to be treated like that, but the seeker already got somewhat used to it the previous day. He received many questions about their life on Bear-rock Isle, some about his family, others about him becoming a God-marked. The one thing that the members of the Unfrid clan took with the same hate as the Arnessen was the cowardly act of Haftor and Ingrid during the day of Proving.
¡°Miserable cowards.¡± One of the older men remarked.
¡°And you say they were still allowed to come here?¡± An older woman asked surprised.
¡°What did you expect,¡± another one scoffed. ¡°King Baldr needs all of the young God-marked. Even the cowardly ones.¡±
¡°If nothing else, they can be used to feed the local beasts.¡± A man said with a grim smile, earning a slight laughter from the others.
¡°Have you already visited the local crafters?¡± One of his uncles asked from the side.
¡°I did,¡± Einar nodded. ¡°I had my arms and armour further refined a bit by R¨²na Fireforge and got a pair of talismans made by Lady Hrefna.¡±
¡°Good,¡± his grandmother hummed. ¡°You will need all the help you can get. Do you have anything else you¡¯re lacking?¡±
¡°Not really,¡± the youth shook his head. ¡°I needed a couple of long arrows for my bow, but I got a good hundred or so from grandfather yesterday. Other than some rations for the journey, I have everything else.¡±
¡°King Baldr will surely provide the necessary supplies,¡± Narve said with a gruff tone. ¡°As well as some boons for the bootlickers.¡±
¡°Bootlickers?¡± Einar couldn¡¯t help but ask as he noticed his other grandfather¡¯s disdainful expression which was followed by the rest of the people around them.
¡°Princess Brynhildr and her brother Fast¨²lfr are going to the Torn Serpent with you lot,¡± one of his uncles explained. ¡°They are Baldr¡¯s third and fourth born, both under twenty-three so they are meant to follow the gods¡¯ edict like the rest of you young ones.¡±
¡°You say that like it¡¯s a problem.¡± The young giant remarked, earning a sigh from nearly everyone.
¡°Understandably, you don¡¯t know about this since you were living on the edge of the kingdom but those two are troublesome brats. Neither of them had much chance to become the next king, so they grew up bitter and all too eager to prove themselves in hopes of getting to rule over some land. Now that they are to go where not even their father can¡¯t, it became another thing to vie over.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡°Both of them are gathering followers,¡± Unnr explained with a tired expression marring her aged face. ¡°They¡¯ve been trying to gain the loyalty of the young God-marked of Wolfhold ever since word of the expedition came.¡±
¡°And the ones that swear their fealty will get something from King Baldr.¡± The youth deduced, earning a nod from her grandparents.
¡°The King¡¯s treasury is full of valuables gathered throughout the past generations and he is willing to part with some of it if it means ensuring the safety of those two.¡±
¡°Did anyone from the Unfrid clan swear fealty to either of them?¡±
¡°Your cousin J¨®arr swore his life to Brynhildr, though not in the hopes of riches,¡± Narve said. ¡°The foolish lad thinks he¡¯s in love and this is his best chance to get closer to one of Brynhildr¡¯s shieldmaiden.¡±
¡°Did old Bodvar not mention any of this to you?¡± One of his aunts asked, the youth shaking his head in response.
¡°It didn¡¯t come up for some reason,¡± he admitted. ¡°They gave me some advice about this and that, but they mostly just wanted to know about me and the others back home.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t blame them,¡± his grandmother sighed. ¡°Knowing that you might never return, it¡¯s understandable that they wanted to at least get to know your bit.¡±
¡°Still,¡± Narve harrumphed. ¡°The bastard should have at least helped him prepare a bit or give him something from their clan¡¯s treasury. I bet he gave the other two.¡±
¡°You know he can¡¯t and neither do we,¡± his wife chided. ¡°The seeresses had proclaimed that every family could only aid their kin in the smallest matters or they would earn the wrath of the gods.¡±
¡°Sure,¡± the old man argued. ¡°But the King is allowed to pay off any bootlicker that becomes his brats¡¯ followers.¡±
¡°That will be his problem. Let¡¯s just enjoy the time we have with the lad and be glad that we can finally see Astrid again.¡± Unnr reminded everyone, the rest of the family agreeing with her on the matter.
The rest of the day rushed by as the young giant got to meet with the rest of his family, sharing tales with them about his childhood much like he did at the Arnessen clan¡¯s home. As the sun slowly began to set, Narve reminded everyone that Einar was meant to be present at the feast held in the castle that evening. The young giant didn¡¯t get to meet his cousin J¨®arr as the lad spent the past few days with the group of God-marked that swore their fealty to Brynhildr. The people of the Unfrid clan headed toward the castle gate, greeted by the king¡¯s thralls who led them inside. The large open area behind the castle walls got turned into a fair of sorts with tables lined up in the middle with stalls on the side.
¡°His Majesty wishes to host the noble clans outside while the God-marked are to be hosted inside the main hall.¡± The thrall explained to them, earning a nod from Narve and Unnr.
It was an understandable approach as there were far too many people there for everyone to fit inside the main hall. The God-marked were the guests of honour that night, hence they were the ones meant to be feasting inside the castle. To the merit of King Baldr, he likely spent a fortune to prepare the feast for the families of the local God-marked and it showed. Large boars were spinning above firepits with plenty of ale barrels getting lined up behind the stalls that either served as outdoor kitchens or ale taps.
¡°You should get going, lad,¡± Unnr said with a gentle smile. ¡°It¡¯s best not to keep them waiting.¡±
¡°Indeed,¡± Narve nodded in agreement. ¡°This feast is for you lot, so make sure you¡¯ll enjoy it to its fullest. Gods know when you¡¯ll get another chance like this.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about us,¡± his grandmother added. ¡°We¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning at the port.¡±
Einar hugged them before following the thrall inside. The main hall of the castle was lavishly decorated with rows of long tables lined up and filled to the brim with food and drinks. The young giant saw hundreds of men and women of similar age talking and laughing as they ate and drank whatever was put in front of them. As he searched through the crowd his eyes, he noticed F¨®lki and Herleif sitting with a small group of people, drinking and boasting about past fights and hunts.
Much to his annoyance, he also quickly found Haftor and Ingrid in the crowd as well. The two of them were standing on the left side of the hall, surrounded by other young warriors who seemed to be earnestly listening to a well-dressed youth as he was telling some tale. Einar felt strangely alone in the bustling crowd that had no friendly faces in it but that quickly changed as he was tapped on the shoulder by someone. As he turned to the source of the intrusion, a large tankard was handed to him by a stranger.
¡°Lighten up, friend,¡± the mud brown-haired youth in front of him said with a wide smile as he knocked his own tankard to Einar¡¯s. ¡°You might not know anyone here, but no one is an enemy tonight. Come! Take a seat and eat whatever you can grab. It¡¯s free and even tastes great.¡±
It was hard to argue with such a cheerful declaration so he accepted the invitation and sat down at the end of a table with the stranger.
¡°Where do you hail from, friend?¡± the youth asked. ¡°I came from Eel-tail Isle. Oh, I¡¯m Arvid by the way.¡±
¡°Einar,¡± he replied after drinking some from his tankard. ¡°From Bear-rock Isle at the edge of the kingdom.¡±
¡°Well, Einar of Bear-rock Isle, here¡¯s to getting here and to reaching the Torn Serpent in one piece!¡±
¡°Hear hear!¡± Some of the others at the table yelled, raising their tankards and drinking horns.
The young giant began to relax a bit as he realized that even if everyone were strangers to each other, they all tried to enjoy their last night in the capital. The food was indeed good, roasted boar, chicken and fish filled the tables along with vegetables and bread. A feast worthy of great warriors. He could see the King not far ahead, sitting at his own table, surrounded by some older warriors of which he recognised Thorwald.
Arvid and the rest of their impromptu group kept on telling jokes or boasting about something about their pasts that neither could refute as they weren''t there. Einar too told a few stories of his own, the one about the day of the Proving being the most well-received of all. Sometime later you felt someone tap on his back and when he looked up he saw a familiar face looking down at him. It was the same well-dressed youth he saw earlier, the stranger looking at him with a strange gaze.
¡°So you are the famous lost Arnessen runt.¡±
Hearing this, the young giant put down his tankard and stood up, easily overshadowing the stranger by a foot and a half in height.
¡°What do you want?¡± He asked in a calm tone, his blue eyes locked onto the other youth¡¯s hazel eyes.
¡°I came to accept your fealty.¡± The youth declared with a proud smile, his expression already irking Einar.
¡°Not interested.¡± He answered after a moment of silence as he realised who the other youth was after recalling his grandparents mentioning the children of King Baldr.
¡°Not interested?¡± the youth stared at him surprised. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±
¡°The king¡¯s son if my guess is right.¡±
¡°Then you should know that it¡¯s an honour to serve me.¡±
¡°Honour has to be earned, and so is the loyalty of others.¡±
¡°You ungrateful peasant,¡± the mask of cheerful pride began to crack on the prince¡¯s face as he retorted. ¡°I offer you the chance to become a dreng, maybe even a thane or a jarl if you serve me well and you dare to refuse me?¡±
¡°As I said,¡± Einar sighed before emptying his tankard. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. And besides, you already have a pair of traitorous cowards in your service. It wouldn¡¯t end well for them if I joined as well.¡±
Saying that the young giant was about to leave when the youth slapped him across the face.
¡°I challenge you to a fight! Once I win, you will have to swear your fealty.¡±
¡°I refuse.¡± Einar said and turned to leave, knowing that it was best to leave such people alone.
¡°You can¡¯t refuse,¡± the prince stammered in anger. ¡°Or I will send my father¡¯s soldiers to your home island to ravage and kill everyone you ever...¡±
The prince couldn¡¯t even finish the threat before a giant fist cut through the air, hitting him straight across his jaw. The God-marked all around watched in horror as the young giant who was about to walk away spun around with his dark crimson hair bursting into flames, his punch sending the prince flying.
Book: 1 Ch. 15 The aftermath of punching a prince
Prince Fast¨²lfr flew backwards, rolling across the table and into the crowd. His followers immediately drew their weapons, the first axe getting blocked by the shield of ice that formed on Einar¡¯s arm. He then summoned a spear made out of pure amber-coloured flames, taking up a stance he learned from his father years ago.
¡°Halt!¡± A voice boomed through the main hall, freezing everyone in their steps.
They could barely move their eyes, seeing King Baldr and his warriors walking over to them with hurried steps. When the king and his men reached the group, the oppressive force disappeared along with Einar''s mystical shield and spear.
¡°Get him up from the floor,¡± the king said and some people helped Fast¨²lfr stand up. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±
¡°Father,¡± the prince tried to speak, but the blood in his mouth and the dislocated jaw made it nigh impossible. ¡°He hit me in fr...¡±
¡°I¡¯m not blind,¡± King Baldr growled, silencing his son as a healer helped fix his jaw and stop the bleeding. ¡°I want to know why.¡±
¡°I offered him a place among my men and he refused. When I asked...¡±
¡°Silence!¡± Baldr said and the prince froze in place as if invisible hands grabbed his mouth the prevent it from moving.
The king looked at one of the God-marked sitting nearby, pointing at him.
¡°You. Tell me what happened and leave nothing out!¡±
Compelled by the mystical force behind the command, the fidgety youth began to recall the events, his last words echoing through the now dead-silent hall.
¡°He then said that if he refused the duel, the prince would send King Bladr¡¯s soldiers to his home island to ravage and kill everyone he ever... I guess he wanted to say ¡®cared for¡¯ but couldn¡¯t finish it before getting hit.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Baldr sighed and turned toward his son. ¡°Do you admit saying that?¡±
¡°I... I do.¡± Fast¨²lfr tried and failed to deny the claims under his father¡¯s power, earning a slap that was strong enough to send him hurling across the table once again.
Gone was the noble visage of the king, replaced by cold fury that chilled everyone to the bone in the main hall. As the people helped Fast¨²lfr up, the king finally spoke.
¡°Look around you,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°What do you see?¡±
¡°I...¡±
¡°Vikings!¡± the king roared. ¡°Every God-marked in this hall, whether they serve you, your sister or neither, are Vikings. They are meant to be your allies, not your enemies. When you reach the Torn Serpent Isles, you won¡¯t just face the beast and horrors of the isles of the gods, but the God-marked of the other great kingdoms. Who will fight by your side if you openly threaten those who refuse to bend the knee with the death or rape of their loved ones?¡±
¡°I...¡±
¡°No one!¡± King Baldr said with a tone that could rip people apart. ¡°Only a tyrant would resort to such things and they tend to live short lives, ended by a blade in their back. Now go. Take your warriors and do not leave your table for the rest of the night. If you cause any trouble, I swear to the gods I¡¯ll bear their punishment but I will not let you sail out tomorrow. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes, father.¡± Fast¨²lfr said with a creaky voice as he nodded, leaving with his head hung down.
King Baldr then turned toward Einar, his voice equally cold.
¡°You might have been in your right to retaliate for my son¡¯s actions, but you still struck a member of my house.¡±
As he said that, Baldr slapped Einar, forcing him to take two steps back from the force that would have sent others flying.
¡°Let this be your punishment since the gods need you elsewhere. And do not cause any more trouble for us tonight.¡±
¡°As you command.¡± Einar acknowledged, knowing that he got off easy due to the gods wanting them alive and in fighting condition.
The king and his warriors headed back to their table the young giant sitting back down where he sat before the ordeal with the prince.
¡°You are an absolute madman,¡± Arvid said with a laugh as he pushed a new mead-filled tankard toward with. ¡°To think you had the balls to send the prince flying like that...¡±
¡°It was glorious!¡± The young woman across Einar said while raising her drinking horn, the others following her cue.
Soon the whole thing became yet another tale for them to laugh over, the feast continuing for a while before the sound of a horn silenced the crowd. They look toward the table of King Baldr, the man standing up from his seat.
¡°Tonight¡¯s feast is held in your honour,¡± he began. ¡°A feast meant for warriors marked by the gods and meant for glory. Tomorrow morning you will fail out to the isle of the gods and it is time for you to know why. As you can all recall, last winter was terrible, filled with frozen winds and lightning storms. The sea raged on weeks end, trapping people on their islands. Everyone could feel that something was off about it, but you ought to know the truth.¡±
A deep silence filled the hall as everyone was eagerly waiting for him to continue
¡°The gods of the great kingdoms put their differences aside for a short while to unite and fight an enemy we can¡¯t even imagine. The harsh weather you survived last winter and spring was a result of their battle. They were victorious, but it cost them dearly. I do not know how many, but some of them died to protect this realm from the enemy.¡±
A murmur spread across the hall as the young God-marked couldn''t stop themselves from hissing and speaking up after hearing the king¡¯s words.
¡°Each of the great kingdoms had lost a god or more, leaving a few seats among them empty. Those seats are waiting for you.¡±
His words now earned shocked gasps and feverous whispers, forcing the king to raise his hand to silence the young warriors.
¡°The seeresses received a vision, telling them that all of you are to sail to the Torn Serpent to fight the creatures it holds and other God-marked to grow in strength and prove yourselves worthy of becoming one of the new gods. Champions will rise among you, leading you to glorious battles as they earn the favour of Harald and his fellow gods. And in doing so, they shall rise to power and take their seat among them.¡±
The young God-marked cheered and boasted about how they would fight for glory, some of them stealing glances at the more prominent warriors as if measuring the competition. King Baldr raised his hand once more, the crowd quieting down to listen.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
¡°However, as I said before, you won¡¯t be alone. All the gods of the great kingdoms had put their differences aside during the battle with the great enemy, however, that truce is now over. Make no mistake. The Torn Serpent is a hunting ground with a limited amount of resources. It is a battlefield of epic scale where you are to make sure that our people will be able to nurture new gods for the sake of all Vikings.¡±
The youths showed their agreement with cheers and boasts about how they would defeat the God-marked of the other kingdoms. However, it was obvious that something had changed in them and the king could see it as well.
¡°I know some of you think that everyone here will be vying for the same glory. The same prize. You are right. However, right now you are all allies in a battle meant to be waged against the other kingdoms. I cannot go with you nor can I command you how to fight and whom to fight.¡±
Silence filled the hall once again after his honest words.
¡°I can only hope that you will leave fighting each other as the last part of your race for glory after no other enemy remains. You are all Vikings and you owe at least that much loyalty to each other. I do not wish to find out that our new gods rose to their seats by stabbing each other in the back, nor would the gods welcome you with open arms if you did such things. Fight, when the time comes, but fight with bravery and honour. You are Vikings!¡±
¡°We are Vikings!¡± The crowd of God-marked roared in unison, chanting it as they raised their tankards in a battle frenzy, ready to fight!
The king raised his drinking horn, chugging down whatever it held to signal that the feast was meant to continue. He had said whatever he wanted to. Einar felt someone bump into his shoulder, Arvid nudging him to get another drink.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect any of this,¡± the youth admitted. ¡°To think we will be fighting for a chance to become gods...¡±
¡°You would make a shitty god.¡± One of the people sitting at the table remarked with a laugh.
¡°I would outdo any of you as a god.¡± Arvid argued while emptying his tankard.
¡°And what would you be the god of? Drinking and whoring?¡± A young woman across Einar asked, her words earning another wave of laughter.
¡°Someone has to do it,¡± the man replied. ¡°It might as well be me.¡±
¡°Dream on.¡± Another one said from the crowd, laughter and curses filling the air as the feast went on.
The night went by with plenty of food and drink making its way to the tables, some holding drinking contests while others just enjoyed the company of like-minded warriors. Einar got his fair share of refills throughout the night, and there was plenty of strong mead to haze even his thoughts. As the night faded away the young giant woke up with his head still aching. Trying to sit up, he felt something pulling him back and as he looked to the side he noticed a familiar face right next to him.
The broken pieces of the previous night¡¯s memories slowly began to reappear as he stared at the naked young woman who was still soundly asleep beside him. It was the same girl who sat across from him at the table, their mead-fueled adventure filling Einar with a sense of shame and self-loathing. He had barely left his home and Kari behind, yet he was already sleeping with another woman whose name he couldn¡¯t even remember.
The youth tried to stop himself from his darkening thoughts, justifying his current situation with Thorwald¡¯s advice but it felt futile. He slowly slipped out of the bed, making sure not to wake up the young woman. Einar then put his clothes and armour back on, forcing himself to calm down. Looking back at the woman, he was torn between leaving without a word and staying till she woke up, his remaining sense of honour making him stay.
Sitting down on the ground beside the wall, he took in the room through the faint moonlight that came through the window. It was a small room with a bed and a wooden chest inside, but nothing else of importance. Not knowing what else to do, he calmed his mind to enter his inner world, something he should have done a long time ago. A moment of darkness and a sensation of falling later he opened his eyes and found himself staring at the crude stone altar with the stone wall behind it.
The young giant walked closer, touching the stone figurine on the altar that depicted a warrior. Amber-coloured words flickered into existence on the stone wall behind the altar, the familiar yet strange description greeting him.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 1240}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: unknown}
{Attributes}
? Charm:13
? Deftness: 20
? Divinity: 3
? Grit: 15
? Heart; 24
? Luck: 11
? Might: 29
? Mind: 14
? Soul: 18
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
69/62/63
There was an obvious change in the description compared to how it looked when he left his home. Touching the figurine that showed a giant holding a dragon, the list of his acknowledged skills appeared on the stone slab. Thanks to his continued swimming and diving practice throughout his journey to the capital, he gained two related skills which he had already raised in level. Some of his other skills, mainly the ones meant for fighting had also increased. Looking at their descriptions made the change in his attributes clear.
{Swimming}
{A warrior must know how to swim fast and far to survive on dangerous waters. Every fifth level will increase your fortitude by 2 and your vigour by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 21 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 7/30}
{Fortitude increase: 8}
{Deftness increase: 2}
{Vigour increase: 4}
{Perks: firm pace, breath control}
{Diving}
{A warrior must know how to reach and navigate the deep waters if they want to take its treasures.} Every fifth level will increase your fortitude by 2 and your vigour by 1. Every tenth rank increases your heart by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 13(beginner)}
{Rank progression: 11/20}
{Fortitude increase: 4}
{Heart increase: 1}
{Vigour increase: 2}
{Perks: clear vision,}
{Axe mastery}
{The path of the axe helps clear both the forest of trees and enemies. Wield your axe with skill and the will to chop down everything in your path. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your might by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 20 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 15/20}
{Might increase: 2}
{Harm addition: 4}
{Perks: firm grip, firm stance}
The rest of his skills didn¡¯t rise enough to be worth his attention so the youth willed the words on the stone slab to change, showing new things to him. {Rituals and spells}
{Fire/ice spear}
{Weave your spiritual power into your talisman and form a spear of condensed fire or ice to use in battle. Each level of mastery increases the elemental harm caused by 5. Each level in mastery strengthens your soul by 1. Every two points¡¯ worth of soul increases the spell¡¯s power by 1.}
{Spell type: elemental}
{Spirit cost: 10}
{Elemental harm: 25}
{Casting time: 3 seconds}
{Range: 150 feet}
{Spell mastery: 0/20}
{Mastery progression: 1/10}
{Frost shield}
{Weave your spiritual power into your talisman and form a shield of condensed ice to use in battle. Each level of mastery increases the harm it can negate by 5. Each level in mastery strengthens your soul by 1. Every two points¡¯ worth of soul increases the spell¡¯s power by 1.}
{Spell type: elemental}
{Spirit cost: 20}
{Harm negation: 50}
{Casting time: 2 seconds}
{Spell mastery: 0/20}
{Mastery progression: 2/10}
Einar felt a slight sense of accomplishment as he looked at his growth in power and the new skills and spells he now had.
Book: 1 Ch. 16 Sailing out to Crabber Isle
The change in the amount of valour Einar had made it clear that while he gained nothing from the monsters he killed at the proving ground, the challenge itself earned him some valour nonetheless. It still wasn¡¯t enough to gain anything from it as even the ordinary star charts he had would ask for at least three thousand points of valour to fill them, let alone the ancestral one that would require four thousand. With his curiosity sated, the youth left his inner world, opening his eyes to find the girl from the bed already awake.
¡°Are you all right there big guy?¡± She asked with a tired voice as she noticed him moving.
¡°I was...¡±
¡°Inside your mind? I figured when you weren¡¯t moving at all. Anyway, I¡¯m going to go and you should get moving as well. They will be waiting for us at the docks.¡±
Saying that the girl winked at him and left the room. The place turned silent once again, prompting Einar to stand up and leave as well, not wanting to miss their departure. Leaving the room he found himself in a narrow corridor that led to a door which let him outside, the remains of yesterday¡¯s feast still being cleaned up as he stepped out to the castle¡¯s courtyard.
Some of the thralls turned toward him for a moment, giving a shy nod before returning to their work. He traced back his path to the port where the ships would await them, the early morning sun already showing signs of breaking through the thick clouds. Wolfhold felt quiet yet lively as people went about their way, shops opening up, the scent of freshly baked bread flitting through the air. Einar¡¯s head was in disarray as several thoughts and questions crossed his mind.
He tried to take stock of his supplies and equipment to make sure he wasn¡¯t lacking anything before they left the capital. A few stops at the stalls that opened early provided him with whatever he lacked but he didn¡¯t want to waste too much money on food as he was told that the king would supply their expedition. When he reached the docks, the young giant had already found it crowded with the locals who wanted to say their goodies.
¡°Einar,¡± he heard someone call his name, Bodvar waving at him from not too far away. ¡°There you are, lad. I take it you enjoyed last night¡¯s feast.¡±
¡°It was¡ fine.¡±
¡°You mean, besides punching the prince?¡± His uncle asked from the side.
The youth looked at them surprised, both of the older men laughing at his baffled expression.
¡°World travels fast,¡± his uncle remarked. ¡°I think pretty much everyone heard what you did a few minutes after King Baldr stopped the fight.¡±
¡°If you ask me,¡± another one of his relatives hummed. ¡°That foolish princeling deserved it.¡±
¡°On that, we agree,¡± Unnr said as she and the rest of the Unfrid clan walked closer from the crowd. ¡°The nerve of that brat. To think he would dare to threaten your family like that.¡±
¡°I heard young Baldr slapped his son flying after he found out about it.¡± Narve added.
Einar gave a nod to his other grandfather, earning a laugh from most men around them.
¡°The apple sure doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree,¡± Narve sighed. ¡°You have a knack for finding trouble, just like your father.¡±
The old man patted him on the back, clearing his throat for a moment before continuing with a lowered voice.
¡°You better look out for him once you reach the Torn Serpent. Prince Fast¨²lfr won¡¯t take such an insult lying down and he seemed to have gathered quite a few capable warriors beside him. If you get the chance, kill him. Don¡¯t hesitate for a moment.¡±
¡°Narve is right,¡± his other grandfather sighed. ¡°Once you get to the isles of the gods, our kingdom¡¯s laws will stop protecting you. The prince will want vengeance so you can either join his sister¡¯s warband or...¡±
¡°Or grow strong and fearsome enough that none of them would dare to cause trouble for you.¡± His grandmother said with a reassuring smile.
¡°Aye,¡± Bodvar nodded. ¡°That could work as well.¡±
The sound of a horn made everyone turn around looking toward the ships. Several soldiers began to wave at the God-marked that were waiting about, the young warriors slowly forming lines in front of a stall where a pair of thralls were sitting.
¡°Looks like it¡¯s time.¡± Unnr said with a sad voice, the elderly woman stepping closer to Einar to hug him.
The young giant lowered himself to a half-kneeling pose to hug his grandmother who was already shedding tears.
¡°You take care of yourself,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t let them push you around, you hear? Chop down whichever idiot stands in your way and then come back to us.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Einar nodded, trying to sound reassuring.
Unnr let go of him, letting the rest of her family have their turn to say goodbye to the lad. Once the Unfrid clan was done, the Arnessen clan took their place. The young giant was hugged, patted on the back, and encouraged by his relatives before finally, it was Bodvar¡¯s turn. The old warrior hugged him, leaving with a few words.
¡°Do not go recklessly looking for trouble. But when the time comes, fight like the giant you are.¡± He said, turning to leave.
It was then that Einar noticed the small pouch that got tucked into his left palm. Not wanting to cause a scene, he covertly slipped the small pouch into his own world eater pouch and turned toward the row of God-marked. He joined the line and waited for a good five minutes before reaching the stall where the two scribes were sitting.
¡°Name?¡± One of them asked without even looking up.
¡°Einar Arnessen.¡± He replied.
¡°You¡¯ll sail with the front ship of the fifth moor. Next!¡±
The youth gave a slight nod before leaving, his eyes darting across the docks. Ten long moors were reaching out into the sea, three ships lined up in each of the first five moors. What surprised the young giant was that two of the ships were already filled with people who seemed older than twenty-three, some of them having grey streaks in their hair. When he reached the ship he was meant to sail on, an older sailor stopped him.
¡°Name?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
¡°Einar Arnessen.¡± He introduced himself a second time, the sailor looking down at the list in his hand.
¡°Get on, lad. We¡¯ll set sail in half an hour or so.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡± He hummed as the man reached out to pull him aboard.
¡°Einar,¡± he heard his name being called as a familiar face waved him closer. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to sail with you, my friend.¡±
The source of the voice was Arvid, the young warrior he was drinking with the previous night. He looked excited and well-rested, unlike most of the other God-marked.
¡°Looks like the king had the mind not to put you on a ship with any of his son¡¯s bootlickers.¡± Arvid remarked as the two sat down at the left stern side of the ship.
¡°Probably doesn¡¯t want me to get stabbed before we reach the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡± The warrior agreed as he looked at the rest of their sailing companions.
Einar noticed the girl from the morning as she was chatting with a few other lasses at the ship¡¯s front area. As if on cue, the young women turned his way, giving him coy smiles before laughing at each other and turning to chat again.
¡°What are they....¡±
¡°They¡¯re probably comparing cock sizes.¡± Arvid remarked, making the giant choke on his words.
¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± the warrior shook his head. ¡°All of them have found someone to keep them busy last night and now they¡¯re likely bragging about who caught the biggest prick of the bunch.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Arvid hummed. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be high on the rankings. Maybe third or even second.¡±
¡°Oh...¡±
¡°Don¡¯t sound so glum,¡± the young man shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s obvious I¡¯m going to be ranked at the top.¡±
¡°Sure.¡± Einar rolled his eyes after hearing the warrior¡¯s brash confidence.
¡°What? Some people grow tall, others grow long. The gods bless people in different ways you know.¡±
Einar couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing as he heard Arvid¡¯s shameless boasting.
¡°Joking aside,¡± the warrior sighed. ¡°Are you ready for the greatest adventure of this era?¡±
¡°As ready as I can be.¡± The young giant replied while looking back toward the docks where his relatives were standing.
¡°Family?¡± Arvid followed his gaze. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you could say goodbye to them. Mine were all too happy to get rid of me.¡±
¡°I wonder why?¡± Someone from the ship remarked, earning laughter from everyone.
¡°Sod off Sven,¡± Arvid chuckled. ¡°My mother might have been happy to get rid of me, but yours must be still weeping that I left.¡±
¡°You bloody bastard.¡± The stocky, hay-haired Viking raised his fist to sway it in the air, the others enjoying their banter.
The young God-marked on the ship spent their time talking and laughing, the sailors around them preparing to set sail as soon as the sign was given. Soon enough the sound of a horn filled the air, giving them the fine everyone was waiting for. Einar looked toward the port one last time, waving back at the people of the Arnessen and the Unfrid clans who were also waving goodbye to him.
¡°Anchor up! Lose the sail!¡± The captain of their ship yelled, his sailors following the order and the vessel bucked for a moment before it began to cut through the water.
¡°So it begins,¡± one of the God-marked said. ¡°Our journey to the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°Aye,¡± the captain harrumphed. ¡°Two weeks I have to spend with you brats.¡±
¡°More like a lifetime,¡± a sailor remarked. ¡°You know we can¡¯t return.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the price we agreed to pay,¡± the captain said with a morose tone. ¡°At least we¡¯ll be able to say that we have seen the isles of the gods.¡±
¡°What about the people on the two ships that seem older than...¡±
¡°They are volunteers,¡± the man cut into Einar¡¯s words. ¡°Only God-marked under the age of twenty-three and ordinary people can reach the Torn Serpent. However, most of us would be useless in a fight against the things that await us there.¡±
¡°Then why would so many people risk coming along with us?¡±
¡°And who would create a camp for you? Cook or clean your clothes while you¡¯re away fighting Harald knows what? You can¡¯t expect the sailors to do that. King Baldr wanted you to have a safe place to return to after your fights, so we offered a chance to some of the thralls of Wolfhold. They would become free people but would have to live out their lives on the shores of the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°And they accepted it just like that?¡± One of the young warriors asked, baffled by the captain¡¯s explanation.
¡°As you can see. Now sit your arses down! We have a long journey ahead of us.¡±
¡°Captain,¡± Einar walked closer. ¡°I wanted to tell you early on so it won¡¯t surprise you...¡±
¡°You will tie yourself to the boat and jump out for a swim?¡±
¡°I...¡±
¡°Thorwald told me about your... training habit,¡± the man said with a smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you do, as long as it doesn¡¯t hinder us.¡±
¡°Right.¡± The young giant nodded before returning to Arvid and the others.
¡°What¡¯s this about you jumping into the sea?¡± The question came from the side, making Einar sigh.
¡°Before I left my home, my father advised me to train to swim in the sea with my armour on. I did that every day while sailing toward Wolfhold and I plan to continue while on our way to the Torn Serpent.¡±
¡°It sounds like a fast way to drown, but whatever.¡± Another God-marked noted, earning a few agreeing nods from the others.
¡°Or he might be the only one to survive if our ship sinks.¡± Arvid chuckled, the others soon seeing the truth behind his words.
The first few hours of their journey went by laughing and talking but the mood soon turned sombre as they reached the open sea. Days bled into each other with nothing to do but sail and train whatever skills they could in such a tight space. Einar spent an hour swimming every morning, noon and evening, becoming good enough to swim in front of their ship by the fifth day of their journey. They stopped twice in the first eight days, getting supplies from the islands that marked the edge of their Viking kingdom. On the afternoon of the eleventh day, a small island showed up on the horizon, a sailor yelling out in excitement.
¡°Captain! I can see Crabber Isle!¡± ¡°Finally,¡± the man said with a relieved tone. ¡°Alright everyone, get ready! Our final rest before Gods¡¯ Gate is just ahead of us.¡±
¡®Gods¡¯ Gate.¡¯ Einar thought as he heard the name. If someone had mentioned it to him a week before, he would have no idea what it meant, but now it was different. He always found it strange how they were supposed to reach the Torn Serpent in just two weeks when it took about the same time for him to reach the capital, but then one of the sailors explained to them. In truth, reaching the Torn Serpent would have been a nearly two-month-long journey.
That is if one would have been able to pass the Ring of Storms, a perpetual storm that prevented anyone from getting in a month-long travelling distance of the Torn Serpent. However, they had a shortcut. Gods¡¯ Gate was said to be an enormous stone arch reaching out of the sea itself, its rocky frame carved with runes the size of adult men. At normal times, the Gods¡¯ Gate was just a large stone arch that did nothing, but soon it would open up a path for them.
A single minute in there would push them days ahead, allowing safe passage through the Ring of Storms for their expedition. Crabber Isle was the last known island before Gods¡¯ Gate and their last chance at sleeping on solid ground before trying their luck with the gate. After taking out a pair of small flags, one of the sailors signalled to the other ships that followed them so they too would know about the island ahead.
Book: 1 Ch. 17 THe old raider and the Gods Gate
Soon enough they reached Crabber Island, the vessels dropping their anchors just close enough to it that they wouldn¡¯t run ashore. Einar and the others got off, the cold water reaching up to his waist as he trudged to the shore. People began to make camps for the night as the young giant picked up a few dry branches for a small fire for the night. By the time the sun went down, all of the ships got anchored and dozens of campfires lit the shore of Crabber Island.
Einar shared his fire with Arvid and a few other God-marked from the ship, most of them fast asleep after eating some gruel they cooked from smoked fish, grains and vegetables. The other fires were still lively as people laughed and talked, but he was far enough from them that they wouldn¡¯t bother him. Although, punching Prince Fast¨²lfr made sure that people wouldn¡¯t try to get too close to him, likely being afraid of getting on the prince¡¯s bad side.
¡°Would you mind sharing your fire with me for a bit, lad?¡± A creaky voice snapped Einar out of his lonely stupor, a warrior standing a few steps beside him. ¡°The night¡¯s getting cold out here.¡±
The man had light grey hair, a few wrinkles and only one eye, the other one covered with a worn-out leather patch. He looked like a veteran, probably a raider who wanted one last adventure before he was too old to sail.
¡°Sure,¡± Einar pointed at the log beside him. ¡°There¡¯s still some food left if you¡¯re hungry. It¡¯s not much but it¡¯s warm and filling.¡±
¡°I have nothing to pay for it.¡± The old man said with a downcast gaze as he sat down.
¡°No need to pay. Just eat if you¡¯re hungry.¡±
¡°Just like that?¡± the man eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Most of the other God-marked were against the idea of sharing their fire with an old nobody, let alone offering to share their food. Not a shred of respect for their elders.¡±
¡°So it would seem,¡± the youth nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Einar by the way.¡±
¡°Spear.¡± The old man introduced himself as he grabbed a wooden bowl from beside the fire, filling it with the still-warm gruel.
¡°Spear? That¡¯s a strange name.¡±
¡°It is,¡± the old man chuckled. ¡°Earned it after taking down a troll with a single spear throw.¡±
¡°Sounds like a fight worthy of tales.¡± The young giant remarked as he watched Spear take a spoonful of gruel.
¡°You¡¯re not even questioning it?¡±
¡°Questioning what?¡± Einar looked at him puzzled.
¡°If I¡¯m just boasting or if I really did it. Most of the God-marked on our ship called me a liar when it was brought up. Said that no ordinary man could claim such a feat.¡±
¡°Well,¡± Einar shrugged. ¡°My father fought against a dragon and survived without being a God-marked so it¡¯s just as possible for an ordinary warrior to kill a troll with a spear.¡±
¡°Good,¡± the old man nodded after wiping his beard. ¡°Having an open mind is a good thing, lad. And I did kill that troll with a single throw. Never felt luckier in my life. I was not much older than you when it happened. My fellows and I were sent to the great forest at the southern edge of Wolf-head Island.¡±
Spear stopped his tale for a moment, accepting a waterskin to get a mouthful of water.
¡°We heard rumours about cattle going missing at a village on the edge of the capital¡¯s domain but since it was near the forest, people thought that wolves did it. So, the king of that time sent out a five-man pack to hunt down the wolves. Imagine our surprise to find a bloody troll running about in the forest. It was a good fifteen feet tall and stank like rotten flesh.¡±
¡°And you chose to fight it?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t have a choice in the matter,¡± Spear sighed. ¡°It found us first. We were still looking for the wolves when it came charging at us from the forest. Sent one of ours flying through the air with a swing of its wooden club that was bigger than me. Squashed another one when the fool tried to stab it in the guts with his sword. I was too scared to get close enough to stab it with my spear because I knew it would squash me with its club so I threw the spear at it. Went through its left eye and killed it.¡±
¡°Sounds like a gnarly fight. Did the one that was sent flying survive?¡±
¡°No,¡± the old man shook his head as he finished his meal. ¡°He got his chest caved in from the club strike and his skull shattered from hitting a tree. The poor sod left a waif and two toddlers behind. Luckily, the king had just enough honour to make sure the widow and the brats wouldn¡¯t starve. Goes to show how bad things can turn from one moment to the next.¡±
¡°At least some of you survived,¡± the young giant tried to cheer up the old man. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, trolls aren¡¯t supposed to be walking about in our kingdom. Some traders said they¡¯re more common in the Falling Sun Empire, but not in ours.¡±
¡°They sure shouldn¡¯t be walking about here just like that,¡± Spear remarked, absent-mindedly drawing something in the sand with a stick. ¡°But I heard that the Torn Serpent is teeming with far worse things and you lot are supposed to fight those.¡±
¡°We weren¡¯t told much about that,¡± Einar admitted. ¡°King Baldr made it sound like an epic quest where we would slay monsters and the God-marked of the other kingdoms, but told us nothing truly helpful.¡±
¡°Take this from an old man who survived a few battles of his own. Every lie has a bit of truth in it and those in power will never tell you the whole truth. They will always have a plan of their own and you can only hope they don¡¯t involve you in those.¡±
¡°How can I make sure of it if I don¡¯t even know what those plans are?¡± The young giant asked back, earning a sigh from the old man.
¡°By getting strong enough to become more than just a pawn. Whatever you¡¯ll face out there. No matter how terrifying or strong it looks. Never falter. Fight with everything you have until your last breath.¡±
¡°I will.¡± Einar said, taking the old man¡¯s advice to heart.
¡°Anyway, I should get going,¡± Spear hummed as he stood up to walk away. ¡°Thank you for sharing your fire and the meal.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
After taking a few steps toward the crowded area of the coast, the old man threw a few parting words over his shoulder.
¡°While it¡¯s good to have the will to fight, it¡¯s also important to know when to stop. The Fates might look like a bunch of dear skull-wearing draugr, but you should greet them with respect if you aim to survive.¡±
Einar couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the old raider¡¯s words but as he turned to look at him, the old man had already disappeared in the bushes, likely to take a piss or something. Letting out a sigh, the young giant turned back toward the dying fire, his eyes drawn towards the drawing left behind by Spear. He could almost make out the image of a raven, but something felt off about it.
As he kept staring at it, something clicked in his mind just as it did when he looked at the drawings Helga showed him back home. ¡®Sneaky old man.¡¯ He thought as he realized that Spear must have left it behind as payment for the meal, even though he offered it to him out of kindness. Shaking his head, the youth decided to turn in for the night, sleep finding him quickly after he lay back on his bedroll. When morning came, he woke up to someone slightly kicking his feet. opening his eyes, he found Arvid standing not far beside him.
¡°Time to wake up,¡± the warrior said as he pointed toward the ship with his thumb. ¡°The captain told us to get our things together. We¡¯ll set sail in twenty minutes.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Einar nodded groggily as he got up, dusting off his armour before gathering his belongings.
Once everything was packed up, they trudged through the shallow water and climbed back onto the ship, waiting for the captain to give out the command. Einar noticed some of the other God-marked at the front of the ship whispering amongst each other, his curiosity getting the better of him.
¡°What are they on about?¡± He asked Arvid, the young warrior letting out a helpless sigh as he looked at the small group.
¡°They are probably talking about Princess Brynhildr.¡±
¡°What about her?¡± The young giant asked back as he watched his travelling companion sit down.
¡°She claims that Svanhildr visited her last night.¡±
¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± Einar turned his gaze toward one of the nearby ships he knew the princess was sailing on. ¡°She was visited by the queen of the gods, wife of the All-father?¡±
¡°The one and only, if you believe it,¡± Arvid shrugged. ¡°Brynhildr claims that the Gentle Queen bestowed a blessing on her. Nothing big, mind you, but a blessing¡¯s a blessing I guess.¡±
¡°And what about Fast¨²lfr? Was the prince also...¡±
¡°No,¡± Arvid shook his head. ¡°And he openly called his sister a liar. Said she only claimed that Svanhildr blessed her to gain more followers before we reached the Torn Serpent. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t wake up to their scuffle earlier. The captains had to pull them apart before the two sides would clash as the argument went sour.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±
¡°So I¡¯ve noticed,¡± the warrior chuckled. ¡°You slept like a log. Were you up all night or something?¡±
¡°I was, for a while,¡± he admitted. ¡°Had a lot of things on my mind, then Spear came by.¡±
¡°Spear?¡± Arvid asked surprised.
¡°An old raider,¡± the giant explained. ¡°He got his name for stabbing a troll in the eye with his spear.¡±
¡°Sounds like a battle worthy of songs.¡±
¡°It does. He asked if he could warm himself by our fire, so I invited him to sit and offered some of the leftover food. In return, he shared some of his wisdom with me and then left.¡±
¡°I¡¯d rather take the wisdom of an old warrior before any daydream of godly blessings,¡± Arvid remarked. ¡°There¡¯s a reason they managed to reach old age after all.¡±
¡°True.¡± Einar agreed as he noticed the captain climb back on their ship.
¡°Pull up the anchor and lose the sail! The Gods¡¯ Gate is waiting for us.¡± The captain yelled suddenly and the sailors did as told.
The ship began to move forward, cutting through the waves as they continued on with their journey that lasted three more days. On the early morning of their fourteenth day on the sea, a dark dot appeared ahead of them on the horizon, growing larger by the minute as they sailed closer to it. A good hour later they found themselves staring at an enormous stone arch that rose out of the sea, large carvings adorning it.
¡°Gods¡¯ Gate.¡± The captain sighed.
¡°No matter how many times I see it, this damned thing always gives me the shivers.¡±
¡°When will it open?¡± An impatient God-marked asked as they pulled in the sail.
¡°The moment all of our ships are here. If we can believe the seeresses.¡±
¡°Almost everyone is here captain,¡± a sailor remarked. ¡°The last two ships should get here in a few minutes.¡±
¡°Then we wait.¡±
They did as the man told and a few minutes later all of the ships had finally lined up not too far from Gods¡¯ Gate. As if on cue, the gentle waves began to pick up, a storm brewing without any clouds to cover the sky. Einar watched in awe as lightning fell from the clear and cloudless sky, striking the archway. One by one the runes lit up under the onslaught of lightning bolts, everyone watching with baited breath as a swirling mist spread across the space in the archway. When the last rune lit up, a pale teal light flashed across the wall of mist and the captain yelled at his crew.
¡°Gods¡¯ Gate had opened. Set sail!¡±
The crew loosened the rope that held the sail tied to the yard, the sail furling down as they pulled at it. A moment later the wind finally caught it and the ship lurched forward a bit. All around them, the other ships had also set sail, cheering God-marked and sailors urging their ships forward. They began to move forward, each vessel racing forward to be the first as a line of ships formed and Einar watched as the one on which Princess Brynhildr sailed cut to the front, passing through the wall of shimmering mist before disappearing from sight.
His vessel came in second, barely a dozen meters ahead of another one. As they passed through the wall of mist they found themselves sailing on water that rushed forward beneath their ship as if they were sailing down on a river while the glowing mist formed a tunnel around them.
¡°Amazing!¡± Arvid said with his eyes stuck on the shimmering tunnel of mist. ¡°Think about it, Einar. We are the first ones in centuries to be able to go through Gods¡¯ Gate.¡±
¡°How long do you think it will take us to get through this... tunnel?¡± the young giant asked with his eyes focused ahead of them with his looking glass in his hands. ¡°I can barely see the other ship ahead of us, even though it got through the gate barely a few moments ahead of us.¡±
¡°You heard the same thing as I did,¡± the warrior beside him shrugged. ¡°A minute here should push us forward a day or two and we were about a month and a half away from the Torn Serpent, so... half an hour I¡¯d wager. I¡¯m more worried about what happens once we get there. You¡¯ve seen how people reacted when the gate opened. We all cheered and acted as one army back at the feast but now, everyone wants to hog the glory of reaching the isle of the gods first.¡±
¡°It will only get worse once we reach our destination,¡± the captain remarked from behind them, making Arvid shudder. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the look those people had before. The look of men and women ready to do anything for power and treasures. Us sailors mean no threat to the God-marked, but you lot do so watch your back.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll do.¡± Arvid noted while sitting back down.
Book: 1 Ch. 18 Reaching the island
Einar kept looking around, his mind and senses feeling restless. He looked at the wall of mist, the water and then back at the mist. Something he couldn¡¯t name yet felt off in his bones. As he kept looking at the water beneath their ship, those glowing waves familiarly called to him. He reached into his world eater pouch and pulled out his drinking horn, almost falling off board when he bent over the ship''s hull. After filling his horn with the glowing water, the young giant examined it for a moment before drinking it in one go.
¡°What are you doing?¡± Arvid tried and failed to stop him, having to watch as the young giant froze up in place.
A chilling cold spread through his body that felt like a thousand needles stung him, but it vanished as fast as it came, replaced by a soothing cool sensation that calmed his mind.
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Einar claimed as he looked at his hand that held the horn.
He felt... changed. Felt more than he was, just like when he drank the divine nectar after his two trials. Einar reached into the water once again to fill his horn, drinking it empty a second time. This time however he felt nothing but slightly sweet water. He tried a third time before getting another horn¡¯s worth which he held over to a worried Arvid.
¡°Drink!¡± He urged the warrior, but he just shook his head.
¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea.¡±
¡°Have you ever drank divine nectar?¡±
¡°Divine... nectar,¡± the warrior muttered the words. ¡°I heard that you can earn some through the trials of the gods but I never had the chance. Why?¡±
¡°I drank nectar twice and when I first drank from this water it felt... similar. But only for the first time. After that, it tastes like sweet water.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± Arvid accepted the horn with a still wary expression on his face. ¡°But if this kills me, I¡¯ll come back as a draugr to kick your arse.¡±
With that, he drank the water in one go, stopping as soon as he lowered the drinking horn from his mouth. Arvid froze up just like Einar did, the young warrior¡¯s body letting out a slight wave of chilling air as his skin turned pale bluish for a moment. He then returned to normal, coughing and shaking.
¡°Damn you and your water,¡± Arvid cursed with a laugh. ¡°I thought I was going to freeze to death from the inside out.¡±
¡°Do you feel any different?¡± Einar asked the important question as every God-marked stared at them with baited breaths.
¡°Damn right, I feel different,¡± the warrior laughed. ¡°I feel stronger. What are you lot waiting for? Drink! This is a blessing from the gods.¡±
Emboldened yet cautious after hearing Arvid¡¯s words, the rest of the God-marked made the choice to drink from the water, freezing up for a few moments before breaking out in cheers and shouts.
¡°I wonder how many of the folks on the other ships will be curious and dumb enough to drink from the water.¡± Arvid said as he looked back at the distant vessel behind them.
¡°Perhaps all of them,¡± Einar shrugged. ¡°Or none.¡±
¡°Either way, you found us something good.¡± The warrior patted him on the back before sitting down.
Einar did the same, using what little time they had to enter his inner world. His short visit told him that his soul attribute had grown by two since the last time he checked, proving the value of the strange water. Not long after he returned from his inner world, the sailor from the ship¡¯s bow yelled toward the captain.
¡°I can see the end of the tunnel,¡± the man said as he lowered his looking glass. ¡°It looks just like the gate did.¡±
¡°Brace yourselves,¡± the captain yelled. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for us on the other side of the gate.¡±
The sailors took their position beside the ropes or grabbed the hull while the God-marked scrambled to have a weapon in one hand while trying to hold on to the hull with the other. The glowing river pushed them toward the wall of mist ahead, its triangle-shaped gate looming over them just as it did before they entered the strange tunnel. As they passed through the mist, the calmness they felt in the tunnel was replaced by a raging storm. Dark clouds covered the sky, spitting thunders of many colours, the waves beneath them became fearsome as they rocked their vessel, carrying it forward.
¡°Pull up the sail!¡± The captain tried to roar over the sound of the storm, his men doing their best to follow his order.
The ship slowed somewhat, but the raging waves were still relentless. Soon one of the sailors called out to their leader.
¡°Captain! I can see the first ship!¡± The sailor yelled as he pointed to the left.
In the distance they could see the same ship that reached Gods¡¯ Gate ahead of them, their sails pulled up just like the one Einar was on. As if the sea had a mind of its own. it pushed them toward the other ship even without their sail to catch the wind.
¡°It seems our lives are in the hands of the gods now.¡± Arvid remarked as they got closer and closer to the other ship.
¡°As long as they don¡¯t sink the ship.¡± Another God-marked muttered beside them before vomiting his guts out due to the horrid movements the ship made beneath them.
When they were barely a dozen yards apart from the first ship, their vessel came to a halt as if it had been locked in place by some unknown force.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± the captain of the other ship yelled over, trying not to sound desperate. ¡°We¡¯ve been stuck here for hours.¡±
¡°It seems the gods don¡¯t want us to split up from the rest of the expedition.¡± Einar heard their captain reply.
¡°So it would seem,¡± the man from the first ship replied. ¡°At this pace, we¡¯ll likely have to wait for another day before everyone gets here.¡±
¡°Damn,¡± someone from the God-marked youths cursed. ¡°I¡¯m going to get sick.¡±
The sound of vomit hitting the water resounded from behind the young giant as he could do nothing besides sit down and get showered by the heavy rain. He tried to shut out the sounds of the storm and the rocking of the ship, somehow managing the fall asleep for several hours before Arvid shook him awake.
¡°Stop sleeping you damn bear,¡± the warrior laughed awkwardly. ¡°The last ship had finally arrived.¡±
Einar got up to his feet, looking around still groggily. Even under the heavy rain and thunderclouds, one could still see the line of ships on both sides. He held out his hands which were soon filled with rainwater that he used to wash his face. The cold water helped him fully wake up just in time to hear one of the sailors yell.
¡°Captain, we¡¯re moving again!¡±
¡°It seems the gods finally got tired of waiting,¡± the man laughed. ¡°Set sail!¡±
Over a dozen ships started to move forward at the same time, cutting through the storm that seemed to be slowly letting up.
¡°Reefs!¡± Someone yelled as the darkness ahead of them lit up under several lightning bolts. revealing large stone shards reaching up from the sea like giant claws that raked the water.
¡°Turn starboard!¡± the captain yelled. ¡°We must wait for the storm to let up or it will crush us to those reefs!¡±
The other captains seem to have the same idea as all of the ships changed course in a mad scramble to save the vessels from a crushing fate. As the large stone claws came up on their left side like a wall of spikes, a feeling wormed its way through Einar¡¯s mind. ¡®Swim!¡¯ He heard it in his head, a voice that was both familiar and unknown. The young giant tried to ignore his increasing desire to jump into the sea, but his mind always returned to the thought of how he had ceaselessly trained swimming in the sea while in armour. A part of him knew that it was dangerous but another part also knew that he could make it. To be the first. To see and plunder whatever treasures awaited him there before the others could interfere. That was... irresistible.
¡°Einar what are you...¡±
¡°See you on the island.¡± The young giant said as he made a few forceful strides, stepping up onto the side of the ship¡¯s hull before leaping into the air, flying for a good ten yards and falling into the waves.
¡°You mad bastard!¡± He could hear Arvid yell after him.
Einar began to swim, his eyes focused on the rocks around him as he rode the waves, making his way through the fence of reefs. The sky was still dark making it impossible to see what lay ahead of him but he kept on swimming nonetheless. He kept swimming for an hour and then another, his body slowly draining of strength while the storm calmed around him.
As the first rays of the sun finally broke through the weakening clouds, the young giant noticed something in the distance. The outlines of a shore appeared a good mile ahead of him, pushing Einar to keep swimming like a madman. A good fifteen minutes later he finally got washed ashore, spitting out water as he turned and lay on his back, feeling the waves wash his back.
A sensation of pride and strength filled him. If nothing else, the grand achievement of reaching the Torn Serpent first was now his to claim. He lay there for a few minutes before regaining enough strength to stand up and have a better look at where he was. Much to his surprise, Einar was standing on the edge of what he could only describe as a fishing village. Run-down buildings and rotten fishing boats dotted the shore ahead of him. He began to walk closer, wary of any danger that might lurk in the village.
The place was in ruins with most of the buildings half collapsed with age-old corpses strewn about here and there. Einar examined one of the bodies, finding it dried and hardened, overgrown by something familiar. The sight reminded him of the time he dived under the sea to scavenge the sunken trading ship. The corpse had been overgrown with the same kind of coral and sea sponge he could see on the reefs under the water. ¡®How can it... damn!¡¯ His musings were interrupted when the corpse suddenly twitched and began to sit up.
Einar quickly stomped on its back while drawing his sword, splitting the hard shell-covered skull in two. The thing stopped moving immediately but the sound of other movements caught his attention. A dozen similar creatures began to make their way out of the buildings, their eyes glowing with an eerie teal flame. ¡®Draugr?¡¯ The young giant thought as he watched the dead march toward him. Shaking off his surprise, Einar burst into action as he swung his blade at the nearest one, stomping another one in the guts to send it back flying.
One by one the draugr got destroyed without him receiving so much as a scratch. When the fight was over, he noticed a faint mist forming atop the corpses, pulling at his mind to take it. Following the instinct that guided him, Einar pulled out his drinking horn from his pouch and held it out in front of himself. The glowing mist floated up from the corpses and made its way toward the horn, forming a tiny cloud above it that rained a glowing liquid into the horn. After the cloud dissipated, the young giant looked at the glowing dew he gathered and drank it in one go.
A new strength washed over him, erasing the tiredness and hunger that plagued him. With his strength renewed, the young giant searched the corpses, finding a couple of age-old silver coins he pocketed before turning his attention to the crumbling buildings. There was little value in the fishing village as most of the items rotted or rusted beyond use. He did, however, find a palm-sized shell that shimmered with a rainbow colour under the faint sunlight and a grape-sized white pearl that seemed to be emanating some sort of power.
With nothing else to loot, Einar decided to gather some dry wood and start a small fire. By the time he caught and gutted a pair of fishes that would serve as his meal, he noticed ships moving on the horizon. ¡®Looks like they made it through the reefs.¡¯ He thought to himself as he sat down to cook the fish, leaving his sword leaning on the trunk of the wood he was sitting on. A good ten minutes later the first ship ran ashore, quickly followed by the rest. Both God-marked and ordinary warriors got off the vessels, slowly spreading out on the shore with wary steps.
¡°Who dares to get here before me?¡± Einar heard a familiar and irritating voice from the group as a youth strode toward him, followed by a dozen warriors.
¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Prince Fast¨²lfr growled. ¡°I was curious when would I get the chance to gut you, but now you even...¡±
The prince froze in place not far from him along with his followers, their eyes staring behind Einar. The young giant turned around, seeing three horrifying creatures floating toward them. They look like women-shaped draugr, their skin dark and cracked, mouldy fur pelts and cloth covering them. The creatures floated half a foot above the ground as they walked toward them with measured steps.
Einar reached for his sword when the horrors were a good ten yards from him, but something made him hesitate. He had hunted enough times with his father to recognize a beast he couldn''t best. Whatever those three were, they were powerful beyond the group of God-marked that filled the beach. They might have held their power back, but it was there. More than that, something strange about them made him recall Spear¡¯s parting words. The three draugr still moving toward them wore deer skulls to hide their faces, golden flames burning where their eyes were.
Book: 1 Ch. 19 The Fates
Not knowing what to do, Einar decided to take a gamble with Spear¡¯s advice. He stabbed his sword into the sand and lowered himself into a kneeling position with his head lowered.
¡°Einar Arnessen greets the Fates!¡±
He dared not look up as the creatures reached him and then moved by without touching him.
¡°Welcome, chosen of Harald.¡± He heard a creaky yet childish voice echo in his head.
¡°Die, monsters!¡± Fast¨²lfr snapped out of his stupor as the three floated close enough, the tone of the Viking prince prompting a deep hiss from them.
The prince and his followers sprung into action, swinging their blades at the horrid creatures. Weapons met and passed through the three that swiped their blackened claws at their attackers, turning Fast¨²lfr and the rest into a pile of shredded flesh and gore in an instant between shrill screams. Then, they kept moving toward the rest of the Vikings who stood near the sea, horrified by the slaughter they just witnessed.
¡°Princess Brynhildr greets the Fates!¡± The princess stepped forward, stabbing her spear into the ground and kneeling.
Seeing her actions that seemed to mimic Einar¡¯s who was left alone by the creatures, the rest of the Vikings followed suit, lowering their weapons and kneeling while greeting the Fates. The three stopped, black mist swirling around them for a few moments. When it was gone, the people found themselves staring at three women dressed in shamanistic clothes, their faces hidden by the deer skulls.
¡°It seems this one has some brain¡±. A young and childish voice resounded from the shortest of the three, the voice sounding both near and far at the same time.
¡°And some manners,¡± an older voice remarked. ¡°Unlike that idiot just now. To think he had no sense of danger at all.¡±
¡°He believed himself to be a king amongst men,¡± an ancient voice croaked out from behind the third deer skull. ¡°A simpleton deserving a fool¡¯s death.¡±
¡°At least Harald and Svanhildr chose wisely.¡± The youngest of the three chuckled.
¡°That is still to be seen.¡± The older one stated.
¡°Now rise, sons and daughters of the Vikings!¡± The oldest one ordered.
Brynhildr followed the order of the Fates, slowly getting up from the ground with the rest of the God-marked following her. On the other side of the clearing, Einar also stood back up, sheathing his sword before pulling the slightly burnt fish skewers from the fire. He ate them in barely two bites while walking closer to the crowd, his eyes drifting toward the shredded carcasses in the sand as he walked.
¡°By the decree of Harald, king of the gods that reign over the Vikings, you were sent here to serve.¡± The youngest of the Fates began.
¡°And we were sent here to guide.¡± The middle one added.
¡°You have passed the trial of the waves,¡± the oldest one finished. ¡°Barely. Some of the foolish ones failed.¡±
¡°But their death is your gain.¡± The youngest laughed as the three turned toward the gruesome pile of corpses, raising their hand toward them.
Einar froze in place as he watched a glowing blood-red mist float up from the remains that shrivelled and dried up until crumbling into dust.
¡°Take your reward and claim this place for yourselves.¡± The oldest of the Fates said.
¡°You will need a safe place to fall back to after facing the challenges of the Torn Serpent.¡± The middle of the three added.
As they spoke, Einar looked at the swirling red cloud floating not far from him. It made him feel the same way as the mist released by the draugr did, so he pulled hid drinking horn from his belt and held it out toward the red cloud. It flashed and churned as a fist-sized piece broke free, floating toward the young giant. It stopped above the horn and filled it with a shimmering red nectar which he drank in one go.
¡°Good,¡± the oldest of the Fates hummed. ¡°The giant seems to know when to act and when to not.¡±
¡°Or it might have been just the dragon¡¯s greed that pushed him to do it.¡± The youngest one chuckled.
¡°Either way, his prize was claimed.¡± The middle one noted.
Hearing their banter, Brynhildr and the rest of the Vikings finally gathered enough courage to claim what was offered by the Fates, all of them taking a small piece of the dead God-marked¡¯s strength for themselves.
¡°We can offer little help besides guidance.¡± The middle of the Fates spoke after a few moments of silence.
¡°Lest we alter the weave of the tapestry.¡± The oldest one sighed.
¡°We can tell some of what awaits you though,¡± the youngest chimed in. ¡°And there¡¯s a lot.¡±
¡°You have made your way to the tip of the serpent¡¯s tail,¡± the middle of the Fates began her explanation. ¡°Four more kingdoms have sent their youngest champions here, two of them landing on each side of the island.¡±
¡°All of you sharing the same task and challenges,¡± the oldest remarked. ¡°The island has nine trials dedicated to honouring the memory of the nine worlds and the nine concepts. For a God-marked to be able to make their way to the next island, they must conquer each of them.¡±
¡°The gods of the five kingdoms had agreed that no God-marked blood would be spilt by their champions or their other followers on the first island,¡± the youngest stated. ¡°So you are safe from them while here.¡±
¡°However, once you make your way to the second island, that agreement will be void and you might have to fight them to the death.¡± The middle of the Fates said with a darkened tone.
¡°No quest for glory and power was ever without a price to pay,¡± the oldest one added. ¡°Make sure your life is not tallied as someone else¡¯s price.¡±
While they talked the youngest of the Fates clapped her hands and the ground shook as a large hourglass made of carved stone and thick misty glass rose from the sand in the middle of the ruined fishing village.
¡°Rest, for now,¡± the middle one spoke. ¡°Starting from tomorrow¡¯s sunrise, you will have three months to complete the nine trials.¡±
¡°Or risk having to spend the rest of your life on this island.¡± The oldest one added. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As soon as they finished talking, the Fates disappeared in a burst of dark mist, leaving behind baffled God-marked and ordinary people alike. Everyone stood frozen in place for a while before some finally had the mental strength to fall back on their arses.
¡°What in Harald¡¯s name we got ourselves into?¡± One of the God-marked winced, earning a strained laughter from the others.
Einar was about to turn and head back to his small fire to rest when a spear drilled itself into the sand a few steps beside him. Looking back, the young giant saw Princess Brynhildr walking toward him with several shieldmaidens following her. When they got close enough, the spear yanked itself out of the ground and flew back into her hands, the woman raising it toward Einar¡¯s throat.
¡°Swear your fealty to me!¡± She commanded, but her eyes widened as the young giant grabbed the spear¡¯s shaft just beneath the blade.
¡°Walk away while you can,¡± he said growling as his anger flared at her actions. ¡°It didn¡¯t turn out well for your brother and it won¡¯t end well for you either if you keep behaving like this.¡±
Much to everyone¡¯s and even Einar¡¯s surprise, smoke started to seep out from beneath his grip. As Brynhildr managed to yank her spear back, she found a scorched handprint on the shaft.
¡°You... you¡¯re a chosen one too. Aren¡¯t you?¡± She asked, her anger now mixed with a slight tinge of fear.
¡°I¡¯m a God-marked like everyone else.¡± Einar shrugged, but the shieldmaiden on the right side of the princess scoffed.
¡°The Fates mentioned that both Harald and Svanhildr chose wisely. We haven¡¯t heard anyone claim to have been blessed by the gods and yet you knew how to act when the Fates arrived.¡±
¡°You¡¯re Harald¡¯s chosen,¡± Brynhildr remarked. ¡°Either swear your fealty to me or leave this place! I won¡¯t stand your presence otherwise.¡±
¡°I arrived here first,¡± Einar said with a low growl as the princess started to irk him far too much. ¡°If anyone should tell the other to leave, it should be me.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m...¡±
¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your titles, since they¡¯re worth nothing to me. I serve no one!¡± The giant said as his eyes and hair flared with crimson flames.
¡°You...¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s still on edge,¡± Arvid¡¯s voice cut the tension as he strolled closer with a wide grin. ¡°But the Fates said that no one can kill a God-marked here so don¡¯t tempt fate.¡±
His words made everyone aware of how close they got to fighting each other.
¡°Spear my ass. You got visited by Harald himself and you didn¡¯t even figure it out.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you knew it from the start.¡± The giant rolled his eyes as the young warrior walked across the group of shieldmaidens, nodding at a few of them in the process.
¡°No, but I figured it out as soon as the Fates mentioned that Harald chose well, which means I figured it out faster than they did.¡± He poked his thumb toward the others.
¡°Who are you to...¡± A shieldmaiden tried to curse at him, but Arvid just walked over to Einar and patted his back.
¡°I knew you were something special, besides being tall as hell and built like a bear. As for the princess, she¡¯s like this because she¡¯s afraid she¡¯ll have to marry you.¡±
¡°You...¡± Brynhildr growled in anger.
¡°Come now, it¡¯s obvious. Harald and Svanhildr are king and queen, so their chosen ones are likely meant to end up...¡±
¡°Shut your mouth! I will rise to godhood on my own,¡± the young woman said as she pointed her spear at Einar. ¡°I will not be chained to such a brute.¡±
At that point, Einar couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing at her antics.
¡°They say that Harald is all-seeing so he should know damn well that I¡¯d never marry a pompous woman like you, even if it meant gaining godhood. Go and prance about somewhere else, princess.¡±
With that, he turned and left, Arvid following him after sending a wink and a farewell kiss to the shieldmaidens. After reaching the small fire, the giant sat down with a sigh. ¡®Harald you old bastard. I really hope you didn''t mean for me to marry that arrogant wench. She can¡¯t even hold a spear properly.¡¯ His musings earned a chuckle as he shook his head.
¡°I¡¯ve got to say, that princess is a feisty one for sure,¡± Arvid remarked as he sat down. ¡°Still, she¡¯s not the worst choice if you can put up with her attitude.¡±
The two of them looked at each other for a few seconds before they both broke out in laughter.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she would run me through with her spear on our wedding night.¡±
¡°Not if you do it first.¡± The warrior argued while wiggling his eyebrows.
¡°I leave that to you, charmer of shieldmaidens.¡±
¡°Out of the question,¡± Arvid shook his head. ¡°If I marry one, what will I do with the rest?¡±
Those words earned a sigh from Einar as he was getting used to the young warrior¡¯s womanising mindset.
¡°Anyway. You sure scared me back there when you jumped into the sea. I knew you were a madman when you punched Fast¨²lfr back in Wolfhold but this was something else. Still, I¡¯m glad you reached the shore in one piece.¡±
¡°So am I,¡± the giant agreed. ¡°Ran into a bunch of draugr almost as soon as I got here though.¡±
¡°Draugr,¡± Arvid shuddered. ¡°A nasty bunch those are. I would rather fight a gang of trolls or netherworld wretches than the draugr. They remind me of how I could end up if I¡¯m not careful enough. But anyway, what are your plans now?¡±
¡°The same as everyone¡¯s I guess,¡± Einar said as he tossed a branch on the fire. ¡°We have three months to conquer the trials but the Fates didn¡¯t say we have to stay here the whole time.¡±
¡°You want to clear the trial as soon as possible, huh?¡±
¡°These lands are full of challenges and treasures. Both are a means to power and I¡¯m sure that there are others out there who are already preparing to get it for themselves.¡±
¡°When are you leaving?¡± Arvid asked with a sombre tone as he watched the giant stare into the fire.
¡°Half an hour at best. If nothing else, I want to scout around to see what lurks out there.¡±
¡°You mean, what can be hunted or looted out there.¡±
¡°That too,¡± the giant nodded while closing his eyes. ¡°Could you watch over me while I check what changed?¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Arvid nodded. ¡°Just don¡¯t take too long. I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±
Einar closed his eyes and when he next opened them, he was in his inner world already, a clear change waiting for him there. Standing up he found himself looking at what seemed to be a tapestry of sorts floating next to the stone slab that stood behind the altar. The threads looked coarse yet glowed with a faint power. There wasn¡¯t much there yet, but it told a familiar story.
He found images of fighting the bear and earning his God-mark. It was followed by the weave showing him his trial of Paths and earning his blessed arms and armour. The trial with the draugrs and netherworld wretches was quite lifelike. The last feast on Bear-rock Island and his night with Kari also got on the tapestry. He saw the sunken ship''s scavenging and how he reached Wolfhold.
R¨²na and Hrefna were there as they helped him get stronger through his weapons and talismans. The short time with the Arnessen and Unfrid clans as well as him punching Fast¨²lfr at the feat were sewn into the tapestry as well. Einar found the part where he met Spear or rather Harald, the image making it obvious as it depicted the All-father in its full glory.
Then came the Gods'' Gate and his glorious swim toward the Torn Serpent. The story stopped after Fast¨²lfr¡¯s death and the Fates leaving the hourglass behind. He watched as the threads that made the tapestry floated upwards, vanishing in the darkness above him. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ He admitted with a nod as he returned to the stone altar.
Book: 1 Ch. 20 The trial of deftness
Touching the first figurine made the familiar words glow up on the stone wall behind the altar.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 2390}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: known by a few}
{Attributes}
? Charm:13
? Deftness: 20
? Divinity: 5
? Grit: 15
? Heart; 25
? Luck: 11
? Might: 29
? Mind: 15
? Soul: 20
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
71/85/66
¡®That¡¯s a lot.¡¯ Einar mused as he looked at the changes. The first thing that caught his eye was the increase in his valour points. It seemed that reaching the Torn Serpent first and defeating those draugrs earned him some recognition. Regarding his renown, he also became ¡®known by a few¡¯ although he had no idea what that would change. There was a stark increase in his attributes as well with his divinity and soul both strengthened by two and his heart and mind each gaining one. Out of curiosity, he decided to check his skills as well finding that one of them reached an important stage.
{Swimming}{Specialization to be chosen}
{A warrior must know how to swim fast and far if they want to survive on the dangerous waters. Every fifth level will increase your fortitude by 2 and your vigour by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 25 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 30/30}
{Fortitude increase: 10}
{Deftness increase: 2}
{Vigour increase: 5}
{Perks: firm pace, breath control}
{Relentless swimmer}
{The long hours of training made you relentless in your effort to reach your goal. A relentless swimmer can push through tiredness as their fortitude decreases half as fast as that of others.
{Agile swimmer}
{Pushing the boundaries of what you are capable of made you reach new heights of speed when it comes to swimming. You are at least one-fourth faster than others of your rank.}
While swimming somewhat faster sounded good at first, the young giant knew from experience that having the fortitude to last through a long swim was invaluable. It didn¡¯t matter that you were a bit faster than others if you drowned after losing all of your strength. With the choice made, Einar looked at his other skills but found nothing noteworthy. As he wanted to reach for the next of the four figurines to look for other changes, he noticed something shining on the far right side of the altar.
It was a pearl that looked just like the one he found in the ruined village. When he picked it up, he heard a chipping sound coming from the stone slab behind the altar. A round hole appeared on the right side of it that was just big enough to hold the pearl. Einar reached forward to place it inside the hole and watched as it lit up while a drawing got carved into the stone which depicted a figure holding the pearl up with both hands. Glowing words appeared on the wall in front of him.
{Gift of the deep}
{Lesser Divine Relic}
{The power of this once worshipped treasure which was found in a glowing clam now belongs to you. It will help you master any water-related skills or spells one-tenth faster than others while also permanently increasing your divinity and luck by one.}
¡®A divine relic?¡¯ The young giant mused as he looked at the fading words and the still-glowing pearl that was now embedded in the stone slab. Touching the first figurine once more he noticed that his divinity indeed rose to six while his luck turned twelve. ¡®Thank you for your gift, Harald.¡¯ He said a silent prayer in his mind before checking the rest of the figurines, only finding a slight change in the chronicle part that now had a Sea-touched Draugr in it.
{Sea-touched Draugr fisherman}
Charm:2-3
Deftness: 6-9
Divinity: 1
Grit: 6-7
Heart; 7-8
Luck: 3-5
Might: 4-7
Mind: 2-4
Soul: 2-3
The last change he noticed was to one of his feats. Where draconic pride felt incomplete before, it now showed a full description that answered quite a few of his questions.
{Draconic pride}
{Dragons are naturally prideful beasts, seeing themselves as the strongest creatures in the world. Those who challenge their pride shall raise their ire, stoking the flames of rage that will soon become their undoing. When enraged, both your heart and might attributes will temporarily increase by two, burning away your fortitude and vigour to fuel your carnage. Draconic pride lasts for two minutes. After it ends, you will be weakened for half an hour.}
It wasn¡¯t a skill he could actively train, but as he recalled his fight with the netherworld wretches back in Wolfhold, he now understood why he felt that surge of rage and power. ¡®Another weapon to use against my enemies.¡¯ He thought as he stepped away from the altar. With nothing else to do there, the young giant returned from his inner world through meditation, opening his eyes to find Arvid sitting beside him with a fish skewer in hand.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± the warrior remarked. ¡°I had to ask the others to bring me a fish while waiting for you.¡±
¡°Sorry about that,¡± Einar said with no remorse at all. ¡°There was... a lot to process.¡±
¡°Good things I presume, Harald¡¯s chosen?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t receive any such titles if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking,¡± the giant sighed as he reached inside his world-eater pouch, finding no trace of the pearl.¡± Anyway, did anyone leave the shore while I was... occupied?¡±
¡°No one,¡± Arvid shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re still trying to see what can be salvaged from the local buildings before they start chopping down the nearby trees for wood.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Einar nodded as he stood up. ¡°Time for me to get going.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll stay here for a while,¡± the warrior pointed at his still-cooking food. ¡°I need some energy for all the exploring.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°Sure,¡± the giant shrugged before turning toward the forest line. ¡°I¡¯ll try to come back before nightfall.¡±
The first few trees of the forest seemed ordinary with some oak, birch and the like dotting the place, thick undershrub making it hard to traverse the land. Einar followed an overgrown path that was leading him inland, his right hand never leaving the hilt of his sword. He walked for over an hour before the first sign of danger showed itself, a pack of beasts running by not far ahead of him. ¡®Are those...wolves?¡¯ The giant thought to himself in surprise as he watched the beasts run by, each nearly the size of the bear he fought back home.
The wolves stopped for a moment to look at him, only to snarl and continue their journey through the dense bushes. Not knowing whether the beasts would return or not, the giant drew his sword and willed it to shrink into a one-handed blade¡¯s size before continuing with his journey. Soon he reached the end of the trail that led him to a valley of broken stones. On the other side of the valley was a rocky hill the shape of a large fang, ash trees surrounding it and the ruins beneath the hill
Einar couldn¡¯t stop himself from letting out a sigh of wonder as he looked at the valley. It felt¡ serene. A feeling that was overturned the moment an arrow drilled itself into the tree beside him.
¡°Halt!¡± A voice commanded and its source turned out to be an older man with two others standing beside him.
The men wore strange attires, an armour likely distinct to their homeland that the young giant didn¡¯t recognize. Their skin was pale and their eyes were of a different shape than he was used to. Einar looked at them warily for a moment before shrugging and continuing his way down the path.
¡°I said halt!¡± the man yelled again, his next arrow striking the ground in front of the youth¡¯s feet. ¡°No barbarians are allowed into this valley before the noble...¡±
¡°If you try to kill me,¡± Einar spoke as he kept walking. ¡°You will earn the wrath of the gods for breaking their agreement. Instead of trying to stall me, you should have brought your people here if you wanted to make sure they got here first.¡±
¡°You..¡± One of the men stuttered in anger as he fired an arrow, its tip cutting the giant¡¯s cheek.
The moment the first drop of blood fell on the floor. all hell broke loose. As if to prove Einar¡¯s words, a crimson lightning struck from the cloudless sky, striking the offender and turning him into a charred mist of ash in an instant. The other two didn¡¯t get away unscathed either as small arcs of the red lightning spewed out toward them, throwing the two back a few yards. Einar wanted to continue down toward the ruins, but he caught sight of something sparkling where the lightning struck.
He walked closer, only to find tiny red sparks jumping around something that seemed to be stuck in the ground. The youth crouched down and dug into the charred dirt with his fingers, pulling free a fist-sized piece of what he thought to be glass. It had a twisted shape but more importantly, this cloudy glass seemed to have some of the red lightning sealed within it.
¡®A treasure? Could it be a relic like the pearl before?¡¯ He thought to himself as he put the strange glass into his pouch before continuing his way down to the ruins. The broken and overgrown stones that circled the clearing could have been the edge of a shrine once. The seeker saw an altar-like structure at the end of the clearing just beneath the claw-shaped rocky hill. As Einar walked closer, he felt the air shift around him as a humming sound filled it.
The overgrown stone pieces began to reverberate as they shook free of the weeds and dirt, floating into the air one by one. Each of them flew with a purpose as they cleared away, forming strange pillars in a circular shape. Einar realised that he now stood in the middle of a makeshift arena, the pillars glowing up with ancient symbols before trapping him inside with a wall of light. ¡®This looks familiar¡¯. He remarked in his mind as he looked toward the altar that began to smoke, the dry branches and weeds burning off from its surface. Once everything burned off, a voice whispered into his mind.
¡°Through Aeons past, those who washed ashore on these lands would make their way here to prove themselves worthy. Step forward, challenger! The trial of deftness awaits you.¡±
As the voice went silent for a moment, Einar noticed a glow appear atop the pillars around him. It was as if a fist-sized sun appeared above the stone columns, each turning dark green. At the same time, a faintly glowing circle appeared on the ground in the middle of the arena.
¡°The task ahead of you is both simple yet difficult,¡± the voice returned. ¡°Survive for a minute under the rain of attacks aimed at you. Dodge, deflect, roll. Do whatever it takes to make it through. A gift will be bestowed for each challenge, three rounds in total. Know, that stepping into the circle means surrendering what you¡¯ve earned, but will allow you to keep your life. Let the challenge begin!¡±
The voice went silent once again, but Einar had little time to ponder about what he heard as a glowing green arrow-like thing flew by him. One by one, each of the glowing orbs that floated above the pillars began to spit out such arrows of light at him. At first, they came one at a time but after half a minute or so, there were two coming at him at once. A low horn sound made him look toward the altar for a moment, noticing a glow appear on it.
¡®One minu...damn!¡¯ He cursed on the inside as his momentary distraction made one of the light bolts strike his arm. It left a burn mark as if he was stabbed by a red-hot iron poker. The number of light arrows increased to three and then four at the same time, forcing Einar to run around, sometimes dodging, other times rolling on the ground to evade the searing projectiles.
¡°Stop right there, barbarian,¡± he heard someone yelling from outside the arena. ¡°The glory of the first trial belongs to the Falling Sun Empire!¡±
Those words almost made Einar stop, but the bolt that flew by his neck made him duck and roll instead.
¡°Did you not hear what young lord Takeshi said? Get out of there you barbarian mongrel!¡± Another voice yelled before an arrow came from above, drilling itself into the ground near the giant.
A split second later a pained scream cut through the air and Einar could see from the corner of his eye that one of the glowing balls atop the pillar sent a bolt at the stranger who shot an arrow above the barrier. The youth got struck in the head somewhere around his eyes and the giant could only shudder as he remembered the searing pain the glowing bolts could cause. A few seconds later another horn resounded as the second minute passed, the number of green bolts suddenly increasing to six instead of five.
At that point, Einar had to summon his frost shield, the thick piece of ice slowly chipping and melting away under the hits it blocked. Then, the six bolts grew to eight, more and more hitting him, leaving scorched marks on his armour and body. When the final horn resounded, the lights above the pillars flickered out and a path opened in the barrier that led toward the altar. He could see five strangely dressed youths standing on the other side of the mystical wall, glaring daggers at him as he made his way up to the altar.
One of them had a more regal-looking armour than the others, making him the leader in Einar¡¯s opinion. The young man was gritting his teeth as he watched the giant reach the top of the stairs, his followers menacingly gripping their weapons. Einar threw the thought to the back of his head, turning toward the altar.
Book: 1 Ch. 21 Rewards and upgrades
Although Einar imagined the altar would only have three rewards, one for each minute he survived, he found five of them. The first one was a glowing ball of green mist, which he recognized immediately. He pulled out his drinking horn from his pouch and held it up, the green mist floating over to fill it with divine nectar, which he drank in one gulp. Just as before, his wounds healed in mere seconds after drinking the nectar.
His second prize was a handful of gold coins, marked with symbols he couldn¡¯t recognise. The third gift was a pair of feathers that glowed with a faint green light. His fourth boon was a thumb-sized piece of flat obsidian with a glowing symbol on it. ¡®A rune.¡¯ Einar recognised the object from his father¡¯s tales. Although he couldn¡¯t recognise the symbol, he was sure that it held great power.
The last reward was an arrowhead made out of a glowing crystal. The young giant put away everything into his world eater pouch and turned toward the nearby ash trees when the barrier opened up. He had a promise to keep, and the Ash tree in front of him was perfect for it. The trunk was wide, its leaves a verdant green, its roots grasping at the rocky soil with a previously unseen tenacity. Einar barely reached the trees near the altar when the foreigners caught up to him.
¡°Barbarian!¡± One yelled, but the young giant didn¡¯t pay attention as he kneeled down, scraping at the dirt with his hands before placing the stone urn into the small hole he made.
¡°What are you doing, mongrel?¡± Another one asks with their weapons pointed at his back.
¡°What does it look like?¡± Einar replied while covering the urn with soil. ¡°I¡¯m burying the remains of someone who couldn¡¯t see this place when they were alive. May you rest in peace with the gods now.¡±
¡°You...¡±
¡°Enough,¡± the youth with the ornate armour silenced the others. ¡°Whatever differences we have can wait. Honouring the dead is a sacred rite.¡±
¡°Yes, Lord Takeshi.¡± The woman acknowledged as they watched Einar place a small mound made of pebbles on the dirt-covered urn.
The silence lasted until the giant stood back up patting his hands together to dust them off. As he turned around he found himself staring at the five foreigners, their leader eyeing him up with a conflicted gaze.
¡°You stole the honour of the first challenge from our empire,¡± the man called Takeshi spoke. ¡°For that, you should be killed.¡±
¡°If you wanted the first try, then you should have come here sooner. This place doesn¡¯t have your name on it and from what I know, there are people here from five kingdoms to vie for the same glory.¡±
¡°You...¡± One of the strangest tried to speak but Einar cut into his words.
¡°And besides, that threat is pointless as none of us can kill the other while on the first island. One of your men tried to do so and got struck by lightning as a result.¡±
¡°So I¡¯ve heard,¡± Takeshi nodded. ¡°That leaves us in a bind.¡±
¡°So...¡±
¡°We will have to settle this once we reach the next Island,¡± the young noble claimed. ¡°A duel to the death.¡±
¡°And if I refuse?¡± Einar asked surprised by the youth¡¯s brazenness.
¡°Then everyone will know that you are an honour-less mongrel.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± the young giant relented. ¡°But only you. I don¡¯t want to get stopped by every man and woman from your camp, telling me that they want to challenge me for your honour or something.¡±
¡°If anyone from the empire were to challenge you,¡± Takeshi spoke with a firm tone. ¡°It would be for their benefit. I will tell my people not to cross blades with any red-haired northerner giants.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t make the same promise, since I only have a friend or two among our people.¡±
¡°Fair enough. Now leave! You have taken up enough of our time and I want my people to pass the first trial as soon as possible.¡±
Einar gave a nod to Takeshi before he had it back to the shore. The sun was already falling by the time he returned and he was greeted by the sight of cut-down trees and hard-working people as the ordinary and God-marked people worked together to fix up the ruined village. The young giant walked closer with measured steps, only to be stopped by a pair of older warriors.
¡°The mighty seeker has finally returned.¡± One of them remarked with a scoff.
¡°You ended your stroll in the forest quite fast, lad. Did you find anything of use?¡± The other one asked as they watched him walk into the village.
¡°Is it you who wants to know or the princess?¡± He asked back, making the two turn red from frowning.
¡°What does that matter to you?¡±
¡°I could ask the same thing,¡± Einar shrugged as he headed over to Arvid who was sitting by the same fire he left behind. ¡°I figured Brynhildr would at least have a few scouts that were brave enough to search the area but it seems I was wrong.¡±
¡°You...¡± The older of the warriors growled but Arvid¡¯s laughter made him stop himself from saying what he wanted.
¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on them Einar,¡± the young warrior said while tossing a branch into the fire. ¡°The princess is nothing if not ambitious. She pretty much took over the entire expedition while you were away. Now everyone but a few serves her, the chosen of Svanhildr.¡±
¡°What about you?¡± He asked as he slumped down by the fire, watching the guards leave toward the only building that was mostly repaired already.
¡°I¡¯m too much of a free spirit to serve that pompous wench. But enough about that. Tell me, did you find anything in the forest? Some of the other God-marked tried to venture out but came back a few minutes later, speaking about giant wolves and the like. Then there was a thunderclap and we saw red lightning appear in the distance from out of nowhere.¡±
¡°That was me,¡± the giant claimed. ¡°Or rather, it happened because of me.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± Arvid¡¯s leisurely attitude changed in an instant as he looked at him. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡°I found the location of the first trial,¡± Einar began to explain. ¡°However, there were already people there.¡±
¡°From which kingdom?¡±
¡°They claimed to be hailing from the Falling Sun Empire.¡±
¡°Oh, those people,¡± the warrior hummed. ¡°I¡¯ve met with a few of them before. They seem to be obsessed with calling us barbarians for some reason. Although they don¡¯t seem to be much more cultured than us with the way they attack our people on sight.¡±
¡°They acted the same way with me. The moment I got there, three of them tried to stop me and when I didn¡¯t leave as they told me, one of them shot an arrow at me. When the arrow cut my face, that red lightning appeared and struck him dead. The other two ran away once they could get up from the ground and then a bunch of them showed up while I was doing to trial.¡±
¡°You already did the first trial,¡± Arvid caught the important detail. ¡°That was fast. However, that also tells us that the other four kingdoms¡¯ people are closer than we thought.¡±
¡°They can¡¯t kill us so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Einar shrugged.
¡°Of course, it matters,¡± the warrior argued. ¡°They might not be able to kill us but they can hinder us from conquering the first trial. There¡¯s also the matter of the other trial grounds. Were you not taught any battle tactics?¡±
¡°My father taught me some but, those were about what to do when a hunt goes awry or for sea raids and large battles, not things like these.¡±
¡°The trial grounds are like small strongholds with a precious resource in them,¡± Arvid sighed. ¡°Everyone wants to seize them and prevent the other kingdoms from getting their hands on the valuables inside. They will want their people to go through the trials first while stopping as many folks from the other kingdoms as they can.¡±
¡°Less competition for later.¡± Einar deduced.
¡°Exactly. You¡¯ve said that the people from the Falling Sun Empire took hold of it after you left. That means everyone will have to go through them if they want to try their luck with the trial.¡±
¡°The sooner we find the other trial grounds the better.¡±
¡°Easier said than done,¡± the young warrior shook his head. ¡°So far you were the only one who dared to go out alone and came back with results. Even your cousins didn¡¯t dare to go out, or rather, they couldn¡¯t agree on who would lead and who would follow.¡±
¡°The other God-marked can¡¯t kill us yet,¡± Einar pointed out as he stared into the flames. ¡°And the only threat I¡¯ve seen so far where the wolves. They¡¯re big, but we have weapons and numbers on our side. If Brynhildr would order a group to head out, I¡¯m sure they could find the other trial grounds and they might even hunt something on the way.¡±
¡°Right now I think she has her hands with solidifying her reign. After all, she has Harald¡¯s chosen to contend with.¡±
¡°I¡¯m a seeker, not a ruler.¡± The young giant remarked, a slight chuckle drifting in from the side as R¨²na Fireforge walked toward them with a wide smile on her face.
¡°It¡¯s not about what you think,¡± she shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s about what you represent. You¡¯re a chosen just like her. Plus, you¡¯re big and tough as a block of pig iron.¡±
¡°Almost as dense too.¡± Arvid remarked, earning a rueful look from Einar.
¡°Why are you here?¡± The giant asked as R¨²na got closer.
¡°I¡¯ve heard you came back from your little stroll in the forest and I wanted to know if you found anything good out there.¡±
¡°Is it you want to know or...¡±
¡°I want to know,¡± the forgemaiden stopped him immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not going to bend my knee for Brynhildr. Nor for you.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Einar hummed. ¡°And yes, I did find the first trial¡¯s location a good hour from here. You can¡¯t miss it if you follow the path leading inland.¡±
¡°The first trial,¡± R¨²na murmured. ¡°Was it difficult to pass it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the trial of deftness,¡± he explained. ¡°You enter a clearing with these stone pillars around it and a ball of green light appears atop the columns. They will shoot small arrows of lights at you and you have to stay alive by dodging or blocking the attacks.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t sound that bad.¡± Arvid noted.
¡°You¡¯ll have to survive for three minutes if you want the best prize and by that time you¡¯ll have to dodge eight bolts at the same time.¡±
¡°Eight bolts? Not just one?¡± The warrior asked back surprised.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge if you only had to block one arrow at a time.¡± R¨²na looked at him as if he was an idiot.
¡°Fair enough. Anyway, what did you get from conquering the trial?¡± Arvid switched the subject,
¡°Some divine nectar,¡± Einar admitted. ¡°As well as a few gold coins and some other stuff I think should be used for crafting or something.¡±
¡°Can you show me the materials you gained?¡± R¨²na asked and the young giant was all too happy to pull out the arrowhead, feather and the rune.
¡°A rune,¡± the forgemaiden muttered as she gingerly took the flat piece of obsidian in her hands. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this symbol before but I can understand its purpose through my gift.¡±
¡°What is it for?¡± Einar asked, the young woman flashing a wide smile at him.
¡°It¡¯s an armour rune of swiftness.¡±
¡°Figures,¡± Arvid rolled his eyes as the other two looked at him with a questioning look. ¡°What? He earned it from the trial of deftness so it was bound to be a rune related to speed or something like that.¡±
¡°And what can this rune do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s meant to be fused with your boots,¡± R¨²na explained. ¡°It will allow you to move somewhat faster. One-tenth faster to be precise if I understand it right.¡±
¡°That should come in handy while travelling,¡± the giant nodded. ¡°Could you...¡±
¡°Meld it into your boots? Sure. I only need a flat surface and my summoned hammer to do it.¡±
Einar got up from the wide log he was sitting on and pulled off his boots, putting them on the log. R¨²na stepped closer and laid the boots down on each other, her left hand channelling fire into the thumb-sized obsidian while her right hand summoned her flaming hammer. She placed the brightly glowing rune on the boots and swung her hammer down on it twice, the third strike ending in a flash of greenish light. When she pulled back the hammer, they could see a tiny green symbol glowing on the ankle part of the boots.
¡°There you go.¡± She said as she dismissed her hammer and sat back down.
¡°Thank you. What about the other two? Did you figure out what they¡¯re for?¡± Einar inquired while pulling his boots back on.
¡°The feather I can identify with my gift but the arrowhead eludes me.¡± She admitted with a sigh as she accepted the fish skewer Arvid offered her.
¡°And...¡± the warrior asked excitedly. ¡°Can those feathers make him fly or something?¡±
¡°No,¡± the forgemaiden shook her head. ¡°They are meant to make ranged weapons faster and quieter.¡±
¡°I got a bow from Lady Hrefna back in Wolfhold,¡± Einar stated as he summoned his bow. ¡°That should work, right?¡±
¡°Sure, just give me a moment.¡± She nodded between two bites of roasted fish.
After finishing her food, the forgemaiden grabbed the bow with her left hand, holding the pair of glowing feathers in her right as she drew the bowstring back. Pale amber flames seeped out from her fingers which spread across the bowstring before covering the entire bow. When the fire receded, the originally greyish bowstring now had a streak of green along its length.
¡°There,¡± R¨²na handed back the weapon. ¡°May it serve you well.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Einar nodded. ¡°About your...¡±
¡°No need to pay me this time,¡± she argued. ¡°You already did when you told me about the first trial.¡±
¡°I would have told you about it anyway.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re better than Brynhildr. At least, good enough to earn my services as a forgemaiden. The next time you will have to pay for my work unless you have valuable information to share again.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± the young giant hummed as he dismissed his bow. ¡°Arvid, could you watch over me for a minute or two? I have an idea what the arrowhead might be for.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± the warrior agreed. ¡°Just don¡¯t make a habit out of it.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 22 Wolves
Under Arvid¡¯s watchful gaze, Einar sat down and closed his eyes. Einar used the simple meditation taught to him to enter his inner world. Just as he guessed, the altar now had the small crystal arrowhead resting on it. He picked it up and a fitting indent appeared on the stone slab behind the altar. The young giant socketed the arrowhead into the hole, an image of an arrow shaft carving itself after it. When it was finished, glowing words appeared on the stone wall.
{Spirit arrow}
{Form an arrow out of your spiritual power to use with any bow or crossbow. The spirit arrow causes harm like any other arrow would unless the caster infuses it with the power of the elements through his own means or their weapon. Each rank in mastery increases the harm caused by two and the range of the arrow by thirty feet.}
{Spell type: spiritual}
{Spirit cost: 5}
{Bodily harm: 10}
{Casting time: 2 seconds}
{Range: 150 feet}
{Spell mastery: 0/10}
{Mastery progression: 0/10}
As it turned out, absorbing the arrowhead¡¯s power had granted him a new spell which he could already see the use of. Other than this, he soon found out that his deftness attribute had grown by three and his divinity by one. ¡®One point for each minute of the trial and a bit of divinity for the entire ordeal.¡¯ He thought to himself as he looked at the number representing his valour which grew by two thousand.
It was now above four thousand, allowing him to form one of his star drawings. As much as he wanted to bring his ancestral stars to life, his mind and soul pulled him toward the raven-shaped star chart he received from Harald. It had to be of some use if the king of the gods gave it to him but when he tried to push his will into the sheepskin scroll, it fought back. ¡®I need... five thousand valour.¡¯ The youth thought as the feeling crept up along his spine and to the back of his mind.
He wasn¡¯t sure how he knew it, but he was as sure about the amount needed as he knew his name. Einar let out a sigh as he put the scroll back down before leaving his inner world. The young giant knew that he was close. If the other trials also granted two thousand valour upon conquering them, then he could get the raven star sign after the next one. ¡®I hope I¡¯m right about this.¡¯ He grumbled to himself as he opened his eyes, finding Arvid and R¨²na staring at him.
¡°Is everything alright?¡± R¨²na asked as she watched the youth open his eyes.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said calmly. ¡°It seems I was right about the arrowhead. It granted me a spell.¡±
¡°From what I¡¯ve heard,¡± Arvid hummed. ¡°Spells are rare treasured knowledge that none are too keen to share. Most are said to be worth their owner¡¯s weight in silver if not gold.¡±
¡°What does it do?¡± The forgemaiden asked with an almost childish curiosity.
As an answer, Einar summoned his bow and began to pull on the bowstring. He willed an arrow to appear on the string, pale blue and hazy like a mirage of heat. The giant aimed at a nearby tree and let the arrow loose. It flew fast and straight, hitting the tree¡¯s trunk before slowly fading away.
¡°Not bad,¡± Arvid nodded. ¡°I could barely hear it leave the string. I¡¯m sure it will come in handy while hunting.¡±
¡°Damn,¡± R¨²na cursed quietly. ¡°Now I really want to conquer the first trial to get a spell like that.¡±
¡°You already know where it is, you just have to somehow make the people of the Falling Sun Empire let you take the trial.¡± The young warrior noted from the side, earning a sigh from the forgemaiden.
¡°I doubt that any of us would have an easy time doing that. It¡¯s best to wait until tomorrow. I¡¯ve heard Brynhildr is planning an expedition inland in search of the trial grounds.¡±
¡°The sun is still high in the sky,¡± Einar remarked. ¡°We should have at least five or so hours before nightfall.¡±
¡°So what,¡± Arvid shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you plan on exploring further inland.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no point in wasting time and letting the other kingdoms find the rest of the trial grounds.¡±
¡°There¡¯s also no point in getting eaten by wolves or whatever else is in there,¡± the warrior argued. ¡°I get that you¡¯re eager to explore, being a seeker and all, but it¡¯s dangerous to go out there alone.¡±
¡°If something wants to eat me, I¡¯ll just kill it or run.¡± The young giant claimed as he stood up checking his equipment before his next visit to the forest.
¡°Do you mind if we go with you,¡± R¨²na asked as she too stood up. ¡°At least until the place where you found the first trial.¡±
¡°Fine by me,¡± Einar agreed with a wide smirk. ¡°As long as you can keep up.¡±
Five minutes into their journey the forgemaiden was already huffing while Arvid was downright sweating and choking on his uneven breath.
¡°You know, not everyone has enchanted boots or weird ass bloodlines,¡± he yelled over to Einar, the young giant running a good fifty-yard head of them. ¡°Some of us are only human.¡±
¡°Stop talking and pick up the pace!¡± The forgemaiden chided as she too started to speed ahead.
Another quarter of an hour later they reached a valley where the first trial ground was, the three of them stopping at the edge of the treeline. The valley was now crowded with people, four distinct groups staring daggers at each other as someone failed the trial with a loud death scream.
¡°Yet another Eastern dog died.¡± Someone from the Falling Sun Empire¡¯s God-marked said with a disdainful tone.
¡°Stop acting like you own the world,¡± a man from another group scoffed. ¡°You lost six people not even an hour ago.¡±
¡°Yet we still have more survivors than you lot.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
¡°Enough,¡± a familiar voice commanded silence. ¡°It seems we have new arrivals.¡±
¡°Looks like the raiders finally caught up with us,¡± a woman from what Einar now believed to be the Eastern Alliance¡¯s champions remarked. ¡°Looks like they can¡¯t do anything unless a raiding ship is involved.¡±
¡°The tall one was the first to pass the trial,¡± Takeshi stated as they all watched Einar and his companions walk closer. ¡°As for the other two, their fate is yet to be determined by the trial.¡±
¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± Arvid chuckled. ¡°But I don¡¯t intend to die anytime soon, so my only option is to win.¡±
¡°Arrogance,¡± another God-marked harrumphed, this one belonging to an unfamiliar-looking group. ¡°Do you think it is easy to pass the trial set by the gods?¡±
¡°If the big guy could do it, then I should be able to as well.¡± The young warrior stated with a calm tone.
¡°Then prove it!¡± The man challenged as the barrier of the trial ground opened and the crowd made way for Arvid.
¡°Alright then.¡± The warrior nodded before adding into the middle of the arena.
A moment later the barrier sealed up and the glowing orbs above the columns began to spit bolts of light at Arvid. Everyone watched with bated breath as the warrior began to dodge the light bolts for a good minute before finally having to draw his sword. He then proceeded to either dodge or deflect the bolts with his blade. The other two minutes went by quickly and the youth came out victorious, claiming his prize before heading outside the proving ground.
¡°It seems the gods have a twisted sense of humour to let such a boastful man survive.¡± The God-marked that challenged Arvid said with a rueful sigh.
¡°Mind if I go next?¡± R¨²na¡¯s question surprised everyone. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time since I still have to set my forge up.¡±
¡°A blacksmith,¡± one of the Eastern folk mocked her. ¡°What next? Shepherds?¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what they are if they can survive longer than your people.¡± A man from the fourth group teased the Eastern man while holding his spear and shield.
¡°You¡¡± The other youth wanted to argue but found it better to stop himself. ¡°Fine. Let us see what the blacksmith can do.¡±
R¨²na walked inside the barrier-protected circle and the trial began. To the onlookers¡¯ surprise, the giant woman dodged the light arrows with uncanny grace, only summoning her fiery hammer for the last minute to deflect a few bolts. When the trial ended and she claimed her prize, the forgemaiden returned to Einar and Arvid.
¡°No luck with the prizes,¡± she lamented. ¡°There was barely anything useful in here besides the divine nectar. Anyway, thanks for letting me try my luck!¡±
She then turned toward Arvid and Einar, the three walking away under the gaze of the crowd.
¡°Are you sure you want to go further inland?¡± She asked the young giant, earning a nod.
¡°I¡¯ll try to make good use of whatever daylight remains. The two of you should go back to the village and tell the others about this place.¡±
¡°Try not to get into too much trouble.¡± Arvid said as he patted the giant on the back, turning around to leave with R¨²na.
Einar left in the valley following the overgrown path on the other end of it. The forest around him slowly began to turn dark, the rugged path leading him beneath trees that grew larger than anything he had seen back in Bear-rock Island. The young giant held a grip on his sword''s hilt as he felt uneasiness creep up his spine. ¡®I¡¯m being watched.¡¯ He thought to himself as he walked across an ancient stone bridge that loomed above a small river.
Not long after he crossed it, the source of his amazing as finally showed itself. A trio of wolves crept out from the dense undershrubs not far ahead of him, their dark fur and brown eyes gleaming beneath the faint sunlight. The wolf kept circling him, growling and sniffing throughout making any moves. He slowly drew his sword which was now the size of a one-handed blade. Einar¡¯s sense of danger flared up as the forest¡¯s sounds dimmed around him the growls ahead of him filling the air that was disturbed by a faint crack that came from behind him.
The young giant spun around while summoning his ice shield, its frozen surface barely forming before a large snout struck it. A wolf much larger than the other three jumped at him with an open maw that was filled with thumb-sized fangs. Einar¡¯s hastily erected defence managed to surprise the beast but it still made the giant tumble backward. The large wolf shook its head which seemed to be bleeding from the nose while the other three took their chance to lunge at the youth while he was on the ground.
The first wolf fell straight into the sword that grew in length under its owner¡¯s will and got itself skewered right through the ribs. Einar swung his blade to the side as he tried to roll away from the other wolves, smashing his ice shield into the second beast¡¯s neck in the process. The third wolf rigged its claws across his back, the hard leather part taking the brunt of the damage. He managed to get back onto his feet just in time to get tackled by the leader of the pack who seemed to have finally snapped out of its stunned state.
The nearly horse-sized beast sent him flying back toward a tree, Einar dropping his sword as his back hit the trunk. Before he could reach down to grab it, the wolf was on him again, opening its large mouth again, trying and failing to bite through the frost shield. Its efforts pushed the shield to the giant¡¯s chest and squeezed the air out of his lungs, then, under his wide eyes, the shield began to crack apart. Knowing that he had only seconds before it broke into pieces, the youth grabbed his knife from his belt with his free hand and began to stab at the wolf from the side.
One stab skidded across its skull bone, another sinking a few inches deep into its neck. The pack leader staggered backwards from the sudden pain, its bloodshot eyes staring at Einar with a newfound hatred. It lunged at him once more but the giant stepped aside at the last moment, letting the wolf hit the trunk of the tree with its head. Einar took this moment and stabbed toward the dizzied wolf¡¯s neck again and again, cutting a wide gash on it that spewed glowing blood. Barely into his third stab, he felt a jolt of pain in his arm as the last of the smaller wolves snapped its fangs around his arm just at the end of his bracer.
The left side of its fangs sank into his skin and flesh, finding it hard to go deeper into his muscles than half an inch. He let go of the knife that got stuck in the beast¡¯s neck and used his other hand to punch the smaller animal in the skull with a hammer-like blow. A sickening crunch resounded as the wolf¡¯s skull shattered under the inhuman force, blood leaking from its ears and snout. Its body went limp and Einar quickly pried its slack jaw off his arm. His momentary victory was cut short by the pack leader that turned its face toward him, the large head hitting him in the shoulder, making him stagger a few steps aside.
Although the beast that weekend by the large wound on its neck and the blood that kept flowing from it, it still had enough strength to try and rip him apart. It snapped at him with its large fangs, the giant rolling to the side and behind a tree. The wolf tried to follow him, a deadly cat-and-mouse game ensuing as the seeker tried to stall for time, hoping that the beast would soon bleed out from the strained movements. His plan seemed to be working as the wolf started to slow down, giving him just enough time to grab his sword from the ground.
Spinning around his heels he found himself facing the wolf that was charging at him once more but this time he didn¡¯t jump aside. Einar let out a war cry, his hair flaring up with crimson flames as he dashed forward, going low as he stabbed upward with his sword. The tip of the blade pierced the wolf just under its opened mouth and went deep enough to hit its spine. It jerked from the sudden attack, but still crashed into the giant, burying him under its large body. The already weakened wolf trashed for a few more seconds as it tried to breathe but could only choke on the blood that flowed down through its pierced throat.
Einar managed to push the still-moving body off of himself and rolled to the side, pulling his blade out in the process. Not wanting to see his foe suffer a slow death from choking on its own blood, the seeker raised his sword and swung it down, beheading the wolf in a single, rage-fuelled strike. The wolf¡¯s trashing body went still as the light left its eyes. Einar let out a laboured breath as he slumped on the ground, his arm pulsing with pain from the slowly bleeding wolf bite. His chest and back still hurt from when the pack leader squeezed him to the tree but at least he was still alive.
Book: 1 Ch. 23 The trial of luck
Einar reached into his world eater pouch and pulled out his drinking horn. Seeing the three tiny glowing stones on its bronze rim made him let out a sigh of relief. ¡®I¡¯m glad I decided to feed it some herbs back in Wolfhold.¡¯ He thought as he willed the drinking horn to fill itself with a deep greenish liquid that had a faint golden glow to it and was releasing a scent reminding him of the medicines he was given as a child.
The giant drank it out in two gulps, a dense herbal taste flowing down his throat as a soothing cool feeling spread across his body. The pain in his back and chest let up while the bleeding puncture marks on his arm closed themselves at a pace clearly visible to the eye. In a minute or so he was left with a few faint pink marks on his skin that rapidly darkened into regular skin. Looking around he noticed the faint golden mist wafting between the bushes, steaming out from the glowing blood that was dimming fast.
The pool of blood beneath the beheaded beast spewed out the most golden mist that kept tugging on Einar¡¯s soul. He raised his drinking horn toward the mist and it began to churn, floating toward the horn from all around him. It then condensed into a fist-sized golden cloud that filled the horn with a shimmering dew before dissipating. ¡®Even killing a strong beast seems to bear rewards.¡¯ He thought to himself while drinking the golden dew.
With the most important prize claimed, he looked at the wolf¡¯s corpse, noticing that it shrank down somewhat from its blood forcefully drained from it. Glowing greenish lines ran along its body like mystical tattoos formed by nature itself. The giant silently cleaned his sword on the wolf¡¯s tail before sheathing it. He went back to where we dropped his seax to retrieve it before returning to the headless corpse.
¡®Although wolf meat is stringy, leaving it here just like that would be a waste. Especially that glowing fur. Maybe R¨²na will be able to craft something with it.¡¯ Einar decided to take the carcass with him. Although Helga told him that his world eater pouch could fit and store a lot of things it was the first time he tried to push something so large in it. Much to his surprise, the corpse of the wolf began to shrink down when he tried to push one of its powers into the pouch.
Then, it shrank down to the size of his fist before it disappeared into the thick mist that covered the mouth of the pouch. ¡®That was weird.¡¯ He mused while he decided to return to the overgrown path to continue his journey. Life seemed to have returned to the forest with both birds and crickets making noises again now that the predators were gone. A good hour later the path led him to the foot of a small mountain that rose a couple hundred yards toward the sky.
There, the path split into two, both leading around the mountain. Not having too much choice, he decided to follow the path leading to the left, thinking that he would likely circle the small mountain and come back on the other path if he didn¡¯t find anything of interest. Not long after, the path split again, this time leading sharply upward the cliff. It was a path that was too steep to walk on with its dark and sharp rocky surface making even climbing it a challenge.
There were barely any spots to grab on the lower part as if something ground off the climbing holds. Taking note of the spot, the youth continued his journey around the mountain, finding two more such places where the path would lead him upward. Sadly, none of the three paths up the rocks seemed to be good. He tried to grab onto a few of the small cracks on the stone wall but his large fingers failed him. His frustration only grew in the following minutes until he recalled his father¡¯s tale about how he and his companions climbed a mountain to hunt down the fire dragon that terrorised the people of Northrend Isle.
¡®He told me that they used... climbing picks.¡¯ The young giant recalled the name of the strange tool that his father described as a pickaxe made to be the size of a hatchet. Although he didn¡¯t have such a tool, he did have a pair of axes with a pick on their back. He pulled his twin axes out of his world eater pouch and slipped their leather loops around his wrists before swinging one of the picks at a crack not far above his head. The finger-long pick went in almost completely and he could feel that it held well enough.
He pulled himself upward, aiming his other axe at the next spot he chose. A slow climb began as he swung, pulled, released and repeated, making his way upward the mountain. A good five minutes later he finally reached the part where the rocks became rough enough for him to grab it with his bare hands, finding plenty of hand and footholds. The axes soon found their way back into his pouch while he rested in a small alcove on the mountain¡¯s side. After catching his breath, Einar continued to climb upward, almost an hour rushing by before he finally reached the top of the jagged rock.
The top of the mountain looked like a basin, its edge a few feet thick before it began to lean inward. The path led downward from there through roughly carved steps that snaked toward what he recognised to be an arena filled with broken rocks just like the first trial ground. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ve found the second one.¡¯ Einar mused as he turned around for a moment to look back at the forest beneath him. The crowns of the large trees that previously towered over him were now at least a good two hundred feet below him, the path he came through disappearing beneath the green canopy.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
He could see two more such mountains in the other direction, each taller than the one before it. The overgrown path was barely visible as it led forward, the trees slowly opening up in the distance. He could faintly make out signs of ruins scattered around in the distance, too many to be the locations of the remaining seven trials. Especially if two of those were on top of the mountains ahead of him. ¡®No wonder they gave us three months.¡¯ Einar sighed as he turned around and made his way downstairs to the flattened stone circle. Just as before, there were broken rocks thrown about at the edge of the clearing and an altar at the side of it. When the young giant reached the middle of the proving ground, the rocks came to life and began to roll together, reforming themselves into ancient pillars.
¡°No matter where they go, warriors need luck on their side or they shall meet mortal peril. For Aeons past, it was the thing that helped sway the odds of fate being on their side. The trial of luck shall see if you can live without it or not. Step on the glowing square to start the challenge and reach the other end of the field where the golden circle awaits you.¡±
As those words were said, a grey-coloured circle appeared on one end of the proving ground and Einar walked over to step on it. When he did, a golden light appeared at the far end ahead of him.
¡°On your way, a bronze and a silver circle will await your decision. Stepping on either will stop the trial and you will earn a fraction of the world¡¯s blessing. Pass by them and you will have to continue without looking back. Step carefully, for each one could be your last, but who knows which one will it be?¡±
The voice went silent and the young giant found himself looking at the floor beneath his feet. A small gale swept through the arena, revealing that it was split into two-feet by two-feet sized squares. ¡®What kind of challenge is this?¡¯ He asked himself as he looked at the chequered ground that had two more glowing circles now. There was no further explanation and there were no clues either. Did he really just have to walk forward? Was that it? Not receiving any answers to his inner questions, Einar let out a sigh and stepped forward.
The moment his weight pressed down on his first leg, the stone square beneath it crumbled apart, making him fall. He reached out to grab onto something, the stone on his left crumbling beneath his touch while the right one held firm. The youth managed to grab hold of it with one hand, hanging above a hole that was filled with darkness. He pulled himself up with a bit of effort, taking in short breaths as he tried to process just how close he got to falling to his death. Or... did he? Einar summoned a spear made of fire and threw it straight down the hole.
He watched as it flew downwards for a good hundred feet before hitting the bottom of the hole. Or to be more precise, it struck a large stone spike and exploded, lighting up its surroundings. The pit was filled with stone spikes, making it deadly for anyone who¡¯d fall inside. ¡®This is madness! How is anyone supposed to pass this trial? There¡¯s no way to tell which block will crumble and which won¡¯t.¡¯ The giant screamed inside he looked at the squares on the stone floor, then back at the hole. There had to be a trick to this trial. People relied on more than luck to survive.
He too had to rely on more than his luck. But what was he going to do? Stepping on the squares would make them crumble and there was a chance that whatever he grabbed would also fall apart beneath his touch. The seeker kept staring at the floor for a good minute while his frustration kept growing. Then it struck him. ¡®Will the squares crumble under anything that touches them?¡¯ He mused as he drew his sword from its sheath. Einar pointed the blade¡¯s tip toward the square in front of him and he stabbed downward. The tip hit the stone, but nothing happened.
Einar repeated it with the other stones around him as well, but none of them reacted. Could it be that he needed to touch them? Following that thought he gently stepped on the stone ahead of him, leaving most of his weight on his other leg. Again, nothing happened, so he slowly increased the weight on his front leg. Just when it seemed that the stone was fine, it cracked and crumbled apart, the young giant barely managing to throw himself back onto the square he originally stood on. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He cussed as he looked at the hole.
Trying it with the other two squares that connected with the one he was on, the stone behind him proved to be stable as well. ¡®Is there any difference between the stone plates?¡¯ Einar asked from no one in particular as he lay down on his stomach, trying to get a glimpse at the underside of the squares. ¡®There you are, you bastard.¡¯ He let out a victorious chuckle when he noticed that out of the few squares around the holes, some were an inch or so thicker than the others. Sheathing his sword, the youth aimed at the square stone that seemed the thickest and leapt toward it.
It held his weight for about a second before crumbling apart, the giant reaching out to both sides to grab hold of anything that could save him. This time, it was the square on his left that held. After pulling himself up and cursing at his terrible luck and plan, Einar looked around once again. He was at least twenty feet from the glowing bronze circle. With the strength of his legs, he might be able to leap two-thirds of the way or further toward it, but he couldn¡¯t risk it. Should he try to make a run for it?
Thanks to his increased deftness he was quite fast for his size and the stone plates seemed to be able to hold his weight for a moment, so he might make it if he tried his hardest. The plan was good in his head, but something tugged at his mind, whispering to him that it wouldn¡¯t be so simple. Looking back between the holes and the stone plates that floated in the air by who knows what divine magic, Einar noticed a pattern of sorts. The holes were mostly two squares forward and one toward either the left or the right side. This pattern seemed to have repeated itself twice now and it made him wonder if it would for a third time as well. Could it be that the third stone plate ahead of him would be safe?
Letting out a sigh, the giant braced himself for what was about to happen and hopped forward with just enough strength to pass the two squares, landing on the third one. The moment he landed, the plate shattered beneath his feet and he was falling too straight down to grab onto anything. He was almost neck deep in the hole when, out of some foolish instinct, he summoned an ice spear in hopes that it would be able to hold his weight. The spear¡¯s tips sprung to both sides from his grasp, drilling themselves into the top layer of the plates on the sides.
Einar came to a grinding halt, but the force of his fall made the ice spear begin to crack. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He thought as he pulled himself up with one hand, the other reaching for the plate on his left to grab hold of it. His spear held together just long enough for him to grab the stone tile and he pulled himself up with a wheezing breath. Einar sat down on the stone square, frowning and growling as his frustration grew.
Book: 1 Ch. 24 Of luck and ravens
Was this really a trial of luck? From what he understood he had pretty decent luck compared to others but this... thing seemed to prove otherwise. This time he came too close to falling and he doubted that he could count on his ice spear to hold his weight again. His... weight. It was then that an idea struck the young seeker. He summoned an ice spear and put it on the ground before himself. The spear was long enough to cross three tiles from left to right.
Einar pushed it two tiles forward before summoning another spear which he put on the tiles right ahead of him. Taking a deep breath he stepped on the spear¡¯s shaft, careful not to touch the tile with his foot. A wide grin spread across his face when none of the tiles beneath the spear crumbled apart. He leaned forward and reached out to step onto the other spear, which held his weight without trouble. Using his sword the giant rolled the previous spear close, leaning on his weapon with one hand while he grabbed and moved the spear ahead of him.
It was pushed just far enough that he was able to step on it if he wanted. ¡®One tile might not be able to hold my weight but three of them can.¡¯ He mused as he began his back-and-forth game with the pair of spears, slowly making his way toward his goal. A quarter of an hour later he finally got close enough to the golden circle that he could have reached it in a few more tiles. Hearing a strange cracking sound made the youth turn around, only to see that the tiles near the starting line began to shatter apart on their own.
More and more tiles fell apart as the hole grew larger as if it wanted to chase after him. A chill ran down Einar¡¯s spine as he saw the crumbling floor that prompted him to find a way to the golden circle in what little time he had. Taking a gamble, he placed the next spear facing forward instead of sideways and stepped on it with both legs. Even as the stone tiles started showing cracks beneath him, the seeker gained enough momentum to leap forward, landing awkwardly on the stone slate that had the golden circle on it.
¡°Some are born with the luck of the Gods,¡± the mysterious voice returned. ¡°Others make their own luck. One must never forget that luck is a fickle ally. Sometimes it might work in your favour while other times it will work against you.¡±
The voice went silent again, but Einar cared little about it as he watched the stone tiles stop crumbling apart. It was as if time itself began to rewind, the shattered stone plates remade themselves one by one until the proving ground was hole again. The barrier that surrounded the area had disappeared while Einar slumped down on the ground, chuckling like a madman. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s finally over. He thought to himself, letting out a relieved sigh. His legs were still shaky as he stood up to turn towards the altar.
Walking closer he found a head-sized pale green cloud floating above the altar that rushed toward him the moment he held out his drinking horn. It filled the horn with a light grass coloured liquid which he drank to the last drop. Looking at the dusty stone structure, the young seeker found four items lying on it. The first one was a handful of gold coins that had a weathered surface with glowing symbols he couldn¡¯t recognise. His second prize was a golden coin with the image of a four-leaf clover minted on one side and a one-leaf clover on the other.
The third item on the altar was another clover, but this one looked strange. Each of the four leaves was seemingly made out of a different crystal, one side blue, another red, the third one purple with the past leaf being yellow, each of them showed a different glowing rune on the middle of their leaves. ¡®Is this a rune stone?¡¯ Einar stared at the strange item for a while before putting it inside his world eater pouch. The last item of interest was a palm-long piece of bone that was roughly carved into the shape of a key. Not knowing what its purpose was, he put it away before looking around.
The sun was already falling and the air was beginning to turn colder with each passing minute. With no threat around, the young giant sat down and closed his eyes to meditate. The sensation of falling only lasted for a moment and when he opened his eyes, he found himself in his inner world once more. His own altar greeted him with the four tiny stone figurines as well as the golden coin that had the clover motif on it. As he grabbed the coin a creaking sound made him look at the stone wall behind the altar. A circular indent appeared above the arrowhead he previously embedded into the wall. Einar fitted the coin into the hole, burning words flickering to life on the wall.
{Luck of the clover}
{When a warrior has luck on their side, even a mundane attack can be remarkable. You have a one in four chance to cause increased harm when you attack your enemies. The amount of added harm is always double your luck attribute.}
¡®Damn! That was unexpected.¡¯ Einar mused as he read the short description of the blessing he gained from the coin. He touched the first figurine to see the changes of his heraldry.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 7550}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: known by a few}
{Attributes}
? Charm:13
? Deftness: 23
? Divinity: 7
? Grit: 15
? Heart; 25
? Luck: 14
? Might: 29
? Mind: 15
? Soul: 20
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
71/105/69
This time it was his luck that increased by three and his divinity by one as well. His valour also rose sharply since the previous time he checked, allowing him to finally make use of the raven star map. Einar¡¯s hands felt heavy as he held the sheepskin with the faded drawing on it. He focused his will on the drawing and allowed it to leech off his valour. His inner world trembled for a moment and as he looked up, he saw the same raven-like star formation appear high above him in the distant darkness. From the corner of his eye, he noticed burning words appear on the stone wall. The seeker stepped closer to read the text, his eyes further widening with each word.
{Raven¡¯s blessing}
{Considered to be the heralds and spies of the All-father, ravens are both dreaded and revered by the common folk. Those who bear its mark are said to be blessed by the king of the gods, tasked to carry out his will in the word. The raven¡¯s blessing permanently strengthens one¡¯s divinity, grit and soul attributes by two.}
It was indeed a blessing and a powerful one at that. The increase in the three attributes was minimal, the words beneath the its description however were more than worth the large sum of valour they asked for.
{Raven form}
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.{Those who carry the blessing of the All-father can call upon its power to turn into one of his heralds. Weave your spiritual power into feathers and wings, granting you the ability to fly through the vast skies unhindered. Each level in mastery strengthens your grit and soul by 1.}
{Spell type: transformation}
{Spirit cost: 1 per second}
{Casting time: 2 seconds}
{Spell mastery: 0/20}
{Mastery progression: 0/10}
¡®A transformation spell?¡¯ The youth muttered as he read it again to ensure he understood it right. After calming down his mind, he checked the other figurines but there were no significant changes besides his climbing and sword mastery increasing by a level each. Einar left his inner world, waking up to a slowly darkening mountain top. A slight itching spread across his left forearm and when he looked down, he could see a primitive raven tattoo appear on his arm.
It looked impressive in its own way but the power it held was far more imposing. After finishing the trial he thought that he would have to spend the night there since it would have taken far too much time to get down and go back to the shore, but now there was another way. Guided by an instinct that came from his new blessing, the young giant willed his spirit into the raven sigil. A moment later pitch-black mist burst out from his body while he let out an anguished roar.
A pain unlike anything he ever felt spread across his body that seemed to have shrunk as if he was being crushed from every direction at the same time. When the black mist dissipated a few seconds later, Einar found himself lying on the floor. He wanted to put his hands on the ground to push himself up but he instead found himself looking down at the pair of black wings with feathers that ended in a fiery red tip.
¡®What is... this?¡¯ The youth asked but the words were nothing but birdcaws. Trying to look down at his body he found similar dark feathers with dark red tips and two spindly bird legs. ¡®I... I¡¯ve really turned into a raven? But how do I...¡¯ His panicked thoughts were interrupted by the black mist that spurred out of his body once again, only this time, there was no pain. When the mist disappeared he was kneeling on the floor, a human once again. It seemed like the spell answered his will when he wanted to shift back into his true form, the experience leaving the seeker reeling for a few moments.
A few minutes later when his mind fully calmed down, he tried it again, shifting into his raven form, without any pain this time. It was hard to move in an unfamiliar body but after some trial and error, he managed to stand on his new legs, hopping about for a short while before spreading his wings. Einar had seen plenty of birds in his life to know how they moved so he tried to imitate them, beating his wings with all the strength he could muster.
His feathered body slowly rose to the air in an awkward, broken rhythm which he tried to correct as he practiced simple flying manoeuvres until the black mist burst out of his body on its own, turning him back into his true form. ¡®I must have run out of spiritual power.¡¯ He deduced after feeling a strange weariness take hold of him. Some meditation later when his strength returned, the seeker switched form again and slowly flew up the stairs toward the edge of the mountaintop.
He stopped to turn back and meditate, planning to regain his strength before trying to fly down the mountain. When he felt ready, Einar turned into a raven once again and spread his wings before hopping off the edge. The wind pushed hard against his feathers as he glided through the air but he managed to find his balance soon enough. Switching between gliding and beating his wings, he flew along the forest path toward where he came from, reaching the ground just before his spirit ran out.
Dropping down onto the overgrown path the young giant broke out into a run, sprinting along the path as darkness fell around him. Sometime later when he felt his spiritual strength return, he leapt forward, black mist bursting out of his body as he turned into a bird again, flying above the trees, only to glide back slowly. Like a child that found a new toy to play with, the seeker kept switching between his true and raven forms, his mind too busy to realise how dangerous the forest was at night.
There was a moment during his run when he was almost caught by a large wolf just after he turned into a raven. ¡®You bastard!¡¯ He screamed inside as the wolf¡¯s fangs snapped toward his left wing, barely missing him. The youth beat his wings harder to fly high, noticing the faint embers that glowed on the tips of his feathers. On the horizon ahead of him, Einar saw the fires of the fishing village light the way. ¡®It might not be the best idea to fly in like this.¡¯ He cawed, gliding down toward the road. Landing a good hundred yards from the edge of the forest he returned to his true form before continuing his jog toward the lights.
¡°Took you long enough,¡± were Arvid¡¯s first words when the warrior noticed the giant approach the village. ¡°I was starting to get worried about you.¡±
¡°I ran into some problems on the way but I still managed to scout quite far ahead.¡± He answered absent-mindedly as he took in the sight of the fishing village.
A hastily erected line of wooden spikes formed a low wall that guarded the small village, campfires lighting the tents and mostly repaired houses. It was quite the sight, given that they had only a day to build all this. The village was bustling with life as God-marked walked about while talking or sat around the fires, eating and laughing. There were plenty of ordinary people too as the sailors and former thralls also enjoyed the crisp night air under the starry sky. The seeker¡¯s musings got shaken up by his friend¡¯s voice.
¡°Are you all right there? You turned silent all of a sudden.¡±
¡°I just took a look at the village. It¡¯s quite impressive.¡±
¡°That it is,¡± the warrior agreed. ¡°Since no one left the shore beside you and us, everyone else kept themselves busy with rebuilding the place. I¡¯d say it will be as good as new in another two or three days.¡±
¡°Did you tell them about the first trial?¡± the seeker asked.
¡°Of course, we did. They would have found out soon enough so we might as well let them owe us a favour, right?¡±
¡°Figures.¡±
¡°What? It¡¯s always a good thing to have others owe you one. Who knows when you will have to...¡±
¡°Einar Arnessen,¡± a heavy voice cut into Arvid¡¯s words as a small group made up of both God-marked and ordinary people arrived. ¡°Princess Brynhildr requires your presence in...¡±
¡°No,¡± Einar silenced the man with a cold-toned word. ¡°If she wants something, she can come here herself.¡±
¡°You...¡± Several God-marked reached for their blades, but let go after a moment of hesitation.
¡°Don¡¯t think so highly of yourself,¡± one of them finally broke the awkward silence. ¡°Just because you already conquered the first trial, you¡¯re still not the princess¡¯ equal.¡±
¡°How about him being Harald¡¯s chosen,¡± Arvid asked with a mischievous grin on his face. ¡°Would that make him her equal?¡±
¡°Watch your tongue,¡± another God-marked growled. ¡°Such a claim could get you thrown out of here faster than you could deny it.¡±
¡°But what if he...¡±
¡°Enough,¡± the leader of the small group silenced his doubtful companions. ¡°Even if he was Harald¡¯s chosen, he¡¯s still a commoner while Lady Brynhildr is a princess.¡±
¡°She was a princess,¡± the young warrior argued. ¡°We¡¯re not in Valhalla any more, so her title is as empty as my wineskin. It¡¯s only worth anything if she can make it worth something.¡±
¡°You...¡±
¡°Leave,¡± Einar stopped the argument with a commanding tone. ¡°Tell her that if she wants something, she can come here herself. I won¡¯t go and you can¡¯t make me without drawing blood, but that will make the gods smite you into ashes. Now leave us!¡±
The warriors stared at him with an obvious hatred, but they soon turned around and left.
Book: 1 Ch. 25 Talks and upgrades
¡°You¡¯re quite good at making friends,¡± Arvid remarked as he held the empty wineskin with a mournful expression. ¡°If they didn¡¯t hate you before, they sure do now. Stubborn bastard. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you are as arrogant as they come but I can tell you just hate being bossed around.¡±
¡°She irks me,¡± Einar admitted as his gaze drifted toward the many groups in the distance. ¡°Haftor and Ingrid were the children of the local Jarl, both God-marked and entitled brats who looked down on others like they were nothing but servants or even roadside shit. I thought that after becoming a God-marked, things would change. That people would at least treat me as anything beyond a dumb brute, but it seems I was wrong. They still think that I will bow my head and follow their whims like an obedient dog.¡±
¡°Have you ever?¡± Arvid asked back playfully, earning a head shake from the young giant. ¡°Good. One needs ambitions to get ahead in life and a strong spine to hold one firm in their beliefs. But anyway, what did you see in the forest? Did you find anything good?¡±
¡°You mean beside a pack of giant wolves that tried to eat me?¡±
¡°Besides that,¡± the warrior nodded. ¡°Though that must have been a good fight.¡±
¡°It was,¡± he sighed. ¡°The pack leader was bigger than a horse. And angrier too. It...¡±
¡°What did I miss?¡± A familiar voice cut into the seeker¡¯s tale as R¨²na appeared beside them. ¡°I heard you came back and mediately passed off Brynhildr¡¯s lapdogs, so I came to see how you¡¯re doing.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Einar claimed while Arvid pointed towards the free space on the log the two were sitting on.
¡°Sit down,¡± he hummed. ¡°Einar was just about to tell me of his fight with the wolves.¡±
¡°Wolves?¡±
¡°Indeed. One of them was the size of a horse.¡±
¡°I was following the path through the forest and found a small stone bridge leaning over a stream. I barely crossed it when three wolves appeared in front of me. It seemed that they were still trying to decide if it was worth attacking me or not, but it turned out to be a ruse. Their leader sneaked behind me and tried to tackle me.¡±
¡°Sneaky bastard,¡± Arvid remarked. ¡°Wolves were already smart back home but to think they would have the mind to plan an ambush like that is troublesome.¡±
¡°It is.¡± The seeker agreed before continuing with his tale, telling them how he fought and defeated the wolf, keeping its corpse.
¡°You stored the carcass in... that?¡± R¨²na asked baffled as she looked at the world eater pouch on Einar¡¯s belt.
¡°That¡¯s a handy thing to have around,¡± the warrior noted from the side. ¡°Hopefully, I¡¯ll get myself one soon enough. This place is said to be full of treasures and I won¡¯t be dragging all that around with me all the time.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true for all of us.¡± R¨²na added.
The young giant continued with his tale, reaching the point where he decided to climb the small mountain. When he told them what he found on the mountaintop, the others couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads.
¡°Most people haven¡¯t even left the village and you¡¯ve already found the second trial,¡± the forgemaiden scoffed. ¡°If it goes like this you will be done with it in the first week.¡±
¡°I doubt that,¡± Einar argued. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the landscape from the mountaintop and it¡¯s enormous. There were two other mountains in the distance, the furthest one reaching up to the clouds. Even the second mountain would take a good week to reach on foot. I could also make out several ruins between the first and the second mountains. Too many to house the trials.¡±
¡°They could be old settlements or maybe places for lesser trials.¡± Arvid shared his thoughts on the matter.
¡°How long do you think it will take for the other kingdoms¡¯ God-marked to find the second proving ground?¡± R¨²na asked with a serious tone after a while.
¡°A day or so at best if they have good climbers,¡± The seeker claimed. ¡°It¡¯s straight on the path so they can¡¯t miss it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll talk with the others tomorrow morning,¡± Arvid stated. ¡°The sooner we get them to finish the first trial the sooner we can head over to the second one. Most of the people from the other kingdoms had likely already conquered the first trial while the princess and her followers were cowering in the village. We can¡¯t afford to lag behind.¡±
¡°We should hear what the second trial is about before rushing over to get ourselves killed.¡± R¨²na stated.
¡°It can¡¯t be that bad,¡± the warrior argued. ¡°The first one was quite easy.¡±
¡°For you perhaps, but not everyone is as small and slippery as you are. Others will find it hard to get through the trial...¡±
¡°It¡¯s far deadlier than the first one,¡± Einar cut into their argument. ¡°It was called the trial of luck but I don¡¯t think it has much to do with luck. At least, I didn¡¯t feel like it did.¡±
¡°What was it about?¡± The shieldmaiden interrogated him relentlessly and Einar went on to tell them about the falling floor tiles and the spiked hole beneath.
¡°Damn the gods!¡± R¨²na cursed after hearing the whole story. ¡°Do they want to kill us that much? If there¡¯s no rhyme or reason to which tile crumbles and which one stays, it¡¯s just a twisted game of luck.¡±
¡°Only if you go in unprepared,¡± Arvid said. ¡°Now that we know what¡¯s it like, we can go in with two spears and follow Einar¡¯s way of passing it. We just have to move faster than he did, since they seem to be expecting us to finish it in a certain time.¡±
¡°Unless it changes now that he passed the trial,¡± R¨²na argued. ¡°There¡¯s no assurance that it will be the same for us. After all, it¡¯s the trial of luck. Even that voice told him that warriors can make their own luck. Who¡¯s to say that two can make their luck the same way?¡±
¡°These trials must have been here for centuries. I doubt that our friend here is the only one who came up with such a way to pass it. And if not, then we¡¯ll just have to let someone forward to see if Einar¡¯s way of passing it is still possible.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
¡°Or you could just run across the trial ground,¡± R¨²na chuckled. ¡°You might be fast enough to pass before the tiles break.¡±
The young giant stood up while the other two were bickering and began to pull out the parts of his tent, knocking the pair of treated wooden poles into the ground before stretching a length of rope across them which he covered with a grease-treated tarp. By the time the others noticed his absence, Einar had already laid down his bedroll.
¡°What the... when did you have the time to build a tent?¡± Arvid asked surprised.
¡°While the two of you were bickering like a married couple.¡± The giant jabbed back at him before pulling out the giant wolf¡¯s corpse from his world eater pouch.
¡°Damn, that thing is huge!¡± The forgemaiden cursed as she watched the giant wolf corpse fall to the ground. ¡°And it even has a rune-mark.¡±
¡°Rune-mark?¡± Einar asked back as he heard the unfamiliar words.
¡°My father said that if a beast lives near a place of power for a long time, they will absorb said power and form their own boon or natural blessing. It¡¯s similar to the bloodline or ritual tattoos people can get.¡±
¡°Is there a way to know what this wolf¡¯s power was or to harvest it somehow?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not hard to do it,¡± the forgemaiden claimed as she rummaged through her knapsack, pulling out three pouches. ¡°That rune stone you got before likely held the power of such a boon, given how natural those lines were. I brought along a couple of blank stones which I bought from Lady Hrefna so that I could harvest any rune marks I find or make new ones once I gained the power to do so. I¡¯m not sure how powerful this one is though.¡±
She then pulled out a stone from each pouch, one bright sand coloured, one somewhat dark and grey while the last one seemed to be a flat piece of obsidian.¡±
¡°If the rune-mark reacts to the sandstone then it¡¯s just some weak and ordinary boon. If it fits the granite then it¡¯s an unordinary one and could hold some decent power,¡± she sighed as she looked at the black glass-like stone in her hand. ¡°If it only answers the call of the obsidian, then you got Harald on your side today.¡±
The forgemaiden held the sandstone piece close to the glowing patch of fur while quietly murmuring something, but nothing happened. When she repeated it with the granite piece, the strange lines on the wolf¡¯s hide began to pulse with power before motes of light broke free, flowing into the stone. A small symbol formed on the thumb-sized stone, earning a sigh from R¨²na.
¡°Not bad for your first true battle on the island,¡± she said as she kept staring at the rune. ¡°This one can cause the enemy you cut with your weapon to bleed out faster than they would. The wolf likely formed this boon to help it with its hunts.¡±
¡°Sounds like something that would do good for any weapon.¡± The seeker remarked as he unsheathed his sword to hand it over.
R¨²na put the blade down on the log she was sitting on and placed the rune on its blade just below the hilt. She then summoned her fiery hammer and swung it down three times on the rune. It melted into the weapon, leaving a symbol that reminded Einar of a crudely drawn bleeding gash.
¡°There you go,¡± the forgemaiden handed the sword back. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it will grow along with your blade when you get it further strengthened later on.¡±
¡°Thank you. I also have something else that might be a rune of sorts.¡±
¡°Of sorts,¡± the woman looked at him puzzled. You don¡¯t sound too sure. Let me see.¡±
The seeker took out the crystal clover and handed it over to the forgemaiden, earning a low whistle from her.
¡°Bloody hell,¡± she said as she switched looking at the stone and then the giant. ¡°Where the hell did you get this?¡±
¡°It was one of the prizes for surviving the trial,¡± Einar claimed. ¡°Is it anything good?¡±
¡°Is it good? Are you jesting with me? This is amazing. This is a multifold protection rune,¡± she explained with clear excitement. ¡°It¡¯s man-made but it¡¯s not from our folks. To think you¡¯d get a treasure like this.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Arvid rolled his eyes. ¡°Stop gushing over it and tell us what it can do.¡±
¡°As I told you before it is a multifold protection rune. Which means that it protects against several things. Four to be precise. I¡¯ve only seen a rune that could protect against two things before and even that was worth a fortune. This one offers protection against divine, fire, frost and lightning elemental attacks. It¡¯s weak, but it can still resist five points of elemental harm.¡±
¡°How come you always get stuff like this?¡± the young warrior asked the giant. ¡°You got that hastening rune from the first trial and now this from the second one. Is this because of the whole Harald¡¯s chosen thing?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± R¨²na argued. ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely because he¡¯s the first one to find and complete the trials.¡±
¡°In other words, you can get one for being the first? Damn. That would make sense. No wonder everyone is so crazy about finding the proving grounds first.¡±
¡°Everyone except our people.¡± The seeker remarked.
¡°True,¡± Arvid agreed. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to put more weight on your shoulders, but you better find the rest of the trials first. I¡¯d rather you have these rewards than our enemies.¡±
¡°Sounds like a worthy challenge,¡± the young giant nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try to beat them to as many of the challenges as I can.¡±
¡°Give me your breastplate,¡± R¨²na cut into their talk, the woman looking at him expectantly. ¡°That¡¯s the best armour piece to use this rune on.¡±
Einar gave her a slight nod before stripping his armour off and handing it over. She placed the breastplate on the log and put the rune on it before swinging her fiery hammer at them. After the third strike, her hammer dissipated and the armour now had the image of the same clover glowing on the right side of the chest area.
¡°Here. May it protect you as intended by the gods.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± she argued. ¡°I¡¯ll take the wolf¡¯s hide as payment. It seems to be tough enough to be a good material for refining my gear.¡±
¡°Fine by me,¡± Einar nodded. ¡°There seems to be plenty more where that came from. Do you know someone who can skin it for you?¡±
¡°I do,¡± she said with a smile while running her fingers across the soft yet strong fur of the carcass. ¡°Some of the formal thralls worked for craft folks so they could skin and butcher it. There¡¯s plenty of meat on it to feed a lot of people.¡±
¡°Just make sure that we get some as well¡±, Arvid said from the side. ¡°I¡¯m starting to get bored of roasted fish.¡±
¡°Sure.¡± The forgemaiden replied as she grabbed the hind legs of the carcass and dragged it away like it was some wheat sack.
¡°Damn,¡± the warrior spoke after R¨²na was out of hearing distance. ¡°She¡¯s as strong as an ox. Anyway, what are you planning to do now? You won¡¯t stay in the village besides getting some sleep, that I know for sure.¡±
¡°I plan on heading further inland,¡± Einar stated. ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of ruins in the distance from the mountaintop and I want to find out if they have anything worth taking.¡±
¡°A treasure hunt, eh? Sounds good. Don¡¯t forget to come back sometimes and tell us if you find anything noteworthy.¡±
¡°That was the plan. What about you?¡±
¡°I will help R¨²na lead the others to the first and then to the second trial. That should keep most of us busy tomorrow. After that, a few friends want to form a hunting party with me.¡±
¡°You, hunting?¡± The giant looked at him surprised.
¡°You¡¯re not the only one who wants to get stronger or richer. Most of us came here for the same reason. Glory and riches. Even if we can¡¯t become gods, we plan to retire rich from this place.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 26 Hunting wolves and bear
¡°You think we can leave after the trials?¡±
¡°Not all of us,¡± Arvid shook his head. ¡°The truce of the gods only protects us on the first island. After that, everything will devolve into a bloody battle. The few who survive will become gods or champions worthy of a royal welcome back in their homelands.¡±
¡°Sounds like you have it all figured out.¡± The seeker sighed as he kept staring into the slowly burning fire.
¡°I¡¯m not one for planning things ahead but having goals is a good thing. But that¡¯s enough chatter for now. We should get some rest. I take it you will leave early in the morning?¡±
¡°As early as I can wake up.¡±
¡°If I don¡¯t wake up by that time then good luck out there!¡±
¡°For you as well.¡± Einar clasped hands with Arvid to shake on good luck.
The two of them retreated for the night, the giant falling asleep soon enough. The sound of the sea and its birds woke Einar from his slumber, the youth finding no sun on the horizon. Although it was slowly getting brighter, it was still likely a good hour before the sun would rise above the sea in the distance. The seeker got up from his bedroll and quietly broke camp, putting away his tent and other belongings. Looking toward the fire, he found Arvid sprawled out on a bedroll not far from the dead embers, the warrior slightly snoring. Einar sighed and looked around, finding a few people moving about in the village already. He drank some water and ate the leftovers of the previous night¡¯s dinner before heading toward the forest.
¡°Einar!¡± He heard a familiar voice from behind, F¨®lki walking toward him with Herleif in tow.
His cousins looked tired and annoyed as they reached him, the young woman speaking up first.
¡°Are you heading off again?¡±
¡°That is the plan.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t come back,¡± F¨®lki stated with a stiff tone. ¡°I know you think you can do as you want now that we¡¯re outside the kingdom, but that will get you killed.¡±
¡°Is that a threat?¡± The giant looked at his equally tall cousin, his eyes glowing up along with his crimson hair.
¡°A warning,¡± the man said with a surprisingly caring tone. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still one of us Arnessen.¡±
¡°Many people think your behaviour is a direct challenge against Princess Brinhildr¡¯s authority,¡± Herleif spoke from the side. ¡°Some of her more zealous followers think that you¡¯re a threat to her. That you aim to get us killed by the God-marked of the other kingdoms. Heard some of them whispering about trying to poison you later on, even if it would get them killed off by the gods.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Einar nodded with a sombre tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t plan on sticking around. Whenever I come back I will only stay for as long as it takes to talk with Arvid or R¨²na, then I¡¯ll leave.¡±
¡°Good,¡± the woman said with a sigh of relief. ¡°Grandfather asked us to watch over you but it seems you don¡¯t need our help.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we won¡¯t knock you on your arse if you get in our way to godhood.¡±
¡°A race to see who becomes a god first?¡± Einar asked with a challenging smirk.
¡°You bet,¡± F¨®lki agreed as the two clasped hands for a shake. ¡°May the best one win.¡±
¡°I aim to.¡± Einar said with a cheeky grin before giving a nod to Herleif.
He then turned around and left with a lighter heart than before. ¡®Those two might be pricks, but they¡¯re still family and they know it.¡¯ The seeker thought to himself as he passed the line of trees. After walking a good hundred or so yards through the forest, Einar began to run forward, leaping up through the air before turning into his raven form in a burst of black mist. He flew above the trees and made his way along the path while enjoying the freedom of flying. Slowly he began to feel the familiar tug on his spiritual strength, prompting him to land and shift back to his true form.
Two hours of travelling later he reached the mountaintop from the previous day, finding no one else around. ¡®It seems no one else found this place yet.¡¯ He thought to himself while resting a bit. The early morning light brightened the forest¡¯s crown and Einar used his bronze looking glass to plan his next scouting expedition. That¡¯s what Arvid called it during their idle talks and he found it to be a fitting name. Far ahead on the right side of the path that led further inland, the seeker could see what seemed to be a ruined tower where the trees grew sparse.
It was the closest point of interest, not far from a clearing half-circled by jagged rocks similar to the place that housed the first trial. Judging the distance by his current travel speed, he estimated it to be a good three hours away. For most other people, half a day or more. ¡®If I travel to both then I¡¯ll have to sleep in that jagged clearing.¡¯ The young giant thought as he put away his looking glass and leapt off the side of the mountaintop. Turning into his raven form he flew above the ancient path for a while, looking left and right in hopes of finding anything that was worth his attention.
Along the way, he found several wolf packs, a few bears and strange beasts that looked like overgrown cats with stripes of amber and black. Amongst the many wolf packs, he only found two that had pack leaders like the one from yesterday. He decided to take a more hunter-like approach and landed on the thick branches above the unsuspecting wolves, summoning his bow after resting a bit. A faint bluish arrow formed on the bowstring as he pulled it back and aimed at the large beast¡¯s neck. The arrow flew down without a sound, striking the wolf in the side of its neck. The beast lurched to the side from the impact and the pain, searching for its attacker before a second arrow struck it in its left foreleg.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
By that time the pack leader found its attacker, growling at the seeker that stood atop the thick branch while summoning another arrow which he fired at the smaller wolf, killing the animal in a single shot. His next shot missed as the beasts wizened up enough to dodge his arrow, prompting the giant to dismiss his bow and get down from his hunting spot. The seeker turned into a raven for a moment to slow his fall, dropping atop the large wolf from a few feet high with an unsheathed sword. It tried to lunge at him with an opened maw, but it only made way for the large sword. Einar hit the ground and rolled in the thick undergrowth while his opponent fell back, trashing for a few moments before it grew still.
The seeker drew his twin axes the moment he got up from the ground, half a dozen smaller wolves attacking him from all sides. He swung and kicked until nothing moved around him and then he looked at the aftermath of his short battle. The pack leader lay on its side with the hilt of the sword still sticking out of its bloodied mouth. The giant stepped beside it and pulled the weapon free while letting out a relieved sigh. Today¡¯s fight ended up a lot better than the previous one but he couldn¡¯t let it go into his head.
After wiping the sword on the beast¡¯s fur, he sheathed his weapon and pulled out his drinking horn the familiar golden red mist floating up from the wolf¡¯s carcass as the one from yesterday. The body visibly shrank a bit as it got drained of its blood and mystical essence, but the glowing lines on its fur were still intact. Einar drank the nectar his horn distilled from the head-sized golden red cloud and felt raw strength spread across his body. He could feel his muscles tighten up, growing firmer and somewhat bulkier. ¡®Could it be... a blessing of might?¡¯ He mused, thinking back on his battle with the previous pack leader.
The nectar seemed the same, but he didn¡¯t get anything out of that one. Could it be that he needed to gather more of the same to gain a boon? Not knowing if what he thought was true or not, the seeker decided to put the matter aside for the moment as he put away his drinking horn before stuffing the large wolf corpse into his world eater pouch. Using his mind¡¯s eye to peer inside the bag, he could tell it was one-fifth full. ¡®I¡¯ll have to find a way to expand the pouch or I¡¯ll run out of space to put these into.¡¯ Einar mused while looking around to make sure he didn¡¯t miss anything of value.
The space between the trees was wide, filled with bushes and plants, some of which he recognized. There were a couple of healing herbs yeah same before back on Bear-rock Isle and in Wolfhold. The seeker gathered and fed them to his drinking horn, one of the cloudy gems lighting up to show that he had another mouthful of healing nectar to fall back on. With nothing else to do there, Einar turned into a raven and flew away. During his journey forward he had another run-in with a similar wolf pack which he hunted down, earning yet another large carcass.
When he neared the ruined tower, the seeker caught sight of a bear unlike any he had ever seen. Its fur was grey and it had two different glowing sigils on its body that was thrice the size of the black bear he fought back home. The beast was in the middle of a feast as it tore into what could have been a deer or a stag, although it was hard to tell at that point. ¡®That looks like a mighty beast.¡¯ Einar thought as he flew closer, landing on a tree not far from it. A part of him wanted to hunt down the bear. To challenge it to a battle worthy of tales, but the more rational side of him knew that it was likely beyond his capabilities.
He carefully examined his surroundings hoping to be able to form a plan to injure or at least momentarily trap the bear. They were in a small glade surrounded by giant trees. The could-be deer lay on the side of a small stream with the bear standing firmly on the ground beside it. Einar found no means to lay a trap for it, not any crevice he could lure it into in hopes of trapping it. Would his arrows even pierce its fur? The seeker was sure that the bear could rend him apart with a single swipe of its large claws and he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight it using his sword or his mystical spears since the bear¡¯s limbs were about the same length as those.
In the end, he decided to try his luck using the arrows. If the beast was impervious to them, he would simply fly away. He summoned his bow and pulled out a few real arrows from his world eater pouch. After the first few spirit arrows, he would likely have to switch to the real ones to preserve his spiritual strength for the raven form. The first pale blue arrow he let loose cut through the air silently, embedding itself into the beast¡¯s barrel-sized neck. It sank in a few inches, a testament to both the bow¡¯s and Einar¡¯s power but it did little else than make the peacefully feasting bear angry. It let out a low roar as it began to look around for its attacker, the second arrow on its neck just below the first one.
The beast looked up at the branches high above it, seeing Einar as he aimed an iron-tipped arrow at it, the bear not reacting fast enough to dodge it. Even with three arrows in its neck, barely any blood trickled down on their shafts and the fur around the wounds. ¡®Damn beast! How strong is its hide?¡¯ He growled in his mind as he watched the bear rush toward the tree he was on. ramming it with a great enough force to make the tree violently shudder. The seeker had to grab onto a branch to steady himself but that was the least of his worries. After seeing that it couldn¡¯t shake off its attacker, the beast swiped at the tree¡¯s trunk, ripping out a good one-tenth of it with a single swipe.
¡®Not good.¡¯ The young giant thought as his quarry chipped away at the tree, making it creak and groan under its onslaught. Soon enough the tree couldn¡¯t hold on and began to tilt to the side. Einar quickly jumped toward the next large tree, turning into a raven for a few seconds to fly to safety while the tree fell with a deafening thud. The next tree was somewhat larger and thicker than the previous one and the seeker celebrated his momentary safety by shooting another arrow at the bear, hitting its left forelimb.
The beast road at him before rushing toward the tree but this time, instead of ramming it, the bear jumped at its trunk with claws at the ready. Einar watched in horror as the bear began to climb up at a fairly decent pace. He shot several arrows at it before summoning a spear of ice which he aimed at its head, missing by a few inches as the spear struck its right shoulder. A pained roar broke free from the beast as it slipped down a few feet before steadying itself once again with a renewed hatred in its eyes. It began to climb upward once more, undeterred by the arrows and spears hurled at it.
When its giant clawed arm was getting dangerously close to the seeker, Einar unsheathed his sword and willed it to grow to its full length before so swinging it downward with all his might. The blade cut through the air before slashing into the bear¡¯s paw, earning a pained beastly scream as it yanked its paw back, its grip slipping on the tree¡¯s trunk. It fell, limbs flailing and crashed into the rocky ground.
Book: 1 Ch. 27 Defeating the bear and upgrading ones equipment
Even though it was a mighty beast, falling from such height must have knocked the wind out of it as it lay sprawled out on its back. Einar knew that this daze would only last for a few seconds and decided to take his chance. He dropped down from the tree, slowing his fall by turning into a raven for a few moments. Rushing beside the bear¡¯s head he raised his sword and swung down at its exposed throat, the two-handed sword cutting deep into its fur and sinewy flesh. Blood spurted as he cut what he believed to be an artery beside its windpipe, but he had little time to cherish his victory as the pain snapped the bear out of its daze.
It swiped its paw at the young giant and although it was a hasty and weakened attack, still sent him flying backwards. His only luck was that he managed to hold his sword¡¯s flat side toward the incoming attack, making it take the brunt of it. Einar crashed into the tree with a bang, several claw marks marring his sword that was pressed to his chest. The bear got to its feet while spewing blood everywhere, its eyes hazed by fury as it roared and rushed toward the youth. The seeker waited until the last moment before jumping to the side, making the bear smash into the hefty tree trunk before using what little spiritual strength he still had to turn into a raven once again and fly back up to the tree.
The enraged bear kept roaring and clawing at the tree but its attacks weakened due to the steady loss of blood. Soon enough it began to sway and tumble before it collapsed on the ground. After waiting for a few more seconds to make sure that the giant bear would be too weak to move, Einar got down the tree and stepped beside the beast, summoning an ice spear which he drove through the dying animal¡¯s earhole and brain. The bear shuddered for a few moments before going completely still and the seeker pulled out the spear, tossing it to the side. ¡®You were a worthy foe. I only wish that I was strong enough to face you head-on with nothing but my blade.¡¯ The young giant admitted inwardly, knowing that while it was a glorious fight, it was still unworthy of his foe.
He chose to fight it as a hunter and won, but he hoped that the next time he met with a beast like this, he could fight it head-on. Letting out a sigh, he held up his drinking horn, gathering the golden red mist that hung low around the carcass, distilling it into a deep red nectar. As he drank it, Einar felt the flames of power course through his body, making him groan in pain as he was forced to grow stronger. The bear¡¯s body shrank by a tenth or so, but it was still an imposing sight. He looked at the pair of glowing symbols on its fur, yearning to take their power for himself.
Grabbing its large paw, the youth tried to pull it toward his world eater pouch, the mystical bag slowly sucking in the steadily shrinking carcass. A good minute later he was left alone with only the broken tree and the spilt blood proving there was a fight there. ¡®My pouch is full.¡¯ He thought after sensing that he couldn¡¯t fit anything else inside his bag. The seeker made up his mind and headed back toward the shore village. On his way back, Einar noticed movement atop the small mountain that housed the second trial. Even from further away, he could recognize the familiar armours of his fellow Vikings and that of the people from the Falling Sun Empire. He could see both Arvid and R¨²na amongst the small group and began to fly lower, but it was a foolish mistake.
¡°A winged beast!¡± One of the empire¡¯s people yelled, drawing his bow to shoot at him.
The arrow flew by his left just as he was getting close to the edge of the mountaintop and pierced through his wing. The pain made him lose his balance and fall from the sky with a loud screech while the archer was blasted into ashes by a red lightning bolt that came from the clear sky. The lightning also sent the attacker¡¯s fellows tumbling back. Einar¡¯s bird form fell at the edge of the mountaintop, rolling down the withered stone steps for a few seconds before bursting into a black mist that revealed his true self.
¡°Einar!¡± The forgemaiden yelled in fright and surprise as she rushed up the stairs to stop the injured giant from rolling further.
¡°A God-marked,¡± one of the empire¡¯s chosen muttered in shock. ¡°Impossible!¡±
The world was still spinning around the seeker when he crashed into R¨²na, looking up at her with hazy eyes.
¡°Wha... how in Harald¡¯s name did you turn into... that?¡±
¡°A blessing.¡± The giant half-lied as the woman helped him up, looking at the large gash on his arm just above the elbow.
¡°Figures that Harald¡¯s chosen could turn into a raven,¡± Arvid noted from the side while the rest of the Vikings kept staring at the seeker with their mouths still agape. ¡°No wonder you can travel about so fast. Still, that idiot got you good though.¡±
¡°He ended up worse.¡± The giant remarked while pulling his drinking horn free for a healing brew.
¡°Only because you were lucky enough to reach the cliff-side,¡± R¨²na argued. ¡°Otherwise, you would have fallen to your death.¡±
¡°True. I...¡±
¡°You bastards dared to attack the chosen of the All-father!¡± An angry voice cut into their conversation as some of the Viking group drew their blade while staring menacingly at the people from the Falling Sun Empire.
¡°How could we know that he was a God-marked and not some wild bird of prey,¡± the other group argued. ¡°Besides, the one who fired the arrow had already paid the price, barbarian.¡±
¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Einar spoke as he stood up. ¡°If you get into a fight over it, more of you might die a needless death.¡±
¡°But...¡±
¡°You heard the big guy,¡± Arvid waved off the naysayer. ¡°Put that blade away. If you want vengeance, then win the trial. That¡¯s the best way to show them who is better.¡±
¡°You are right.¡± The angry warrior growled while sheathing his sword.
¡°Still, what brought you back so soon? I thought you were going to explore further inland.¡± The forgemaiden brought up the issue of his return.
¡°I ran into a few more large beasts,¡± the seeker answered. ¡°After I hunted them down, my pouch got full so I came back to drop them off.¡±
¡°Wolves?¡±
¡°And a bear.¡± He added.
¡°A bear? How big?¡±
¡°Very.¡± The short answer came, making R¨²na grind her teeth. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
¡°I imagine they have markings like the one from before.¡±
¡°Yes. The bear has two and the wolves have one each.¡±
¡°Lucky bastard,¡± Arvid cursed from the stone step he was sitting on. ¡°Most people barely have a single rune on their equipment and you¡¯re just picking them up they were roadside pebbles.¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome to go out there and hunt your own beast.¡±
¡°Or buy one from you? I mean, you can¡¯t have two of the same runes so...¡±
¡°He isn¡¯t wrong about that,¡± R¨²na agreed with the warrior. ¡°There¡¯s an order to runes. If you found something you already have, you might as well trade it away for something you need.¡±
¡°And you think he has anything I would need?¡± Einar nodded toward the sitting youth.
¡°No, but I might and soon enough others will as well. There are only so many places you can go. Others will venture out eventually from the village and they might find materials and treasures worth trading for.¡±
¡°I guess,¡± the seeker hummed as he looked at his now-healed arm. ¡°Anyway, do you want to have a look at them?¡±
¡°Right here? With everyone around?¡±
¡°We can go down the mountain if you want.¡±
¡°No,¡± R¨²na shook her head. ¡°It might be better to do it here. If the bear is as big as you claim it to be, it could be an excellent sacrifice to the gods. It might help strengthen your armour in ways I cannot.¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Einar nodded as he began to pull the first wolf carcass from his world eater pouch, its large body sprawling out on the stone steps.
By the time he pulled out the second corpse, he could already see the forgemaiden shake her head.
¡°This one has the same swiftness rune you already have on your boots.¡±
¡°Do you want it?¡± He asked, earning a nod.
¡°I do, as the price for my work this time.¡±
¡°Fine. The other wolf?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a new boon for sure,¡± she claimed while pulling out her blank rune stones. ¡°An uncommon one it would seem.¡±
A few moments later when she managed to draw the blessing into the stone piece, she let out a sigh of accomplishment.
¡°This one seems to have the power to... lighten your steps.¡±
¡°Lighten my steps,¡± the seeker looked at her puzzled. ¡°Like sneaking?¡±
¡°It should help dampen the sound you make while walking, so... yes. I think.¡±
¡°That would come in handy for hunting.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she agreed. ¡°What about your bear?¡±
Einar thought for a moment before he finally decided to take it out from his pouch, everyone in the background gasping in awe as the humongous corpse appeared.
¡°That is one big ass bear.¡± Arvid said with a whistle as he walked around the carcass.
¡°I told you it was big.¡±
¡°But not this big,¡± the warrior argued. ¡°How did you even kill this thing?¡±
The seeker went on to give them a short summary of his fight with the bear, earning a nod from R¨²na and a scowl from Arvid. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for your bow and the whole tree-top thing,¡± the warrior scoffed. ¡°It would have handed your ass to you for sure.¡±
¡°On that, we agree,¡± Einar sighed. ¡°It was a mighty foe, filled with rage and power.¡±
¡°And two new boons,¡± R¨²na added. ¡°These two will surely be uncommon runes.¡±
She tried to draw out the power of the glowing lines that shone on the fur, but only one of them reacted to the presence of the granite piece.
¡°Wha... it can¡¯t be,¡± R¨²na mumbled in shock as the lines began to flow into the piece of refined obsidian in her hand. ¡°One of them is a rare rune.¡±
¡°A rare one,¡± Arvid looked at the glowing black rune stone. ¡°Already? You absolute bastard! What does it do?¡±
¡°It... it can increase the force of a swing? I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said confused as her glowing eyes kept staring at the rune. ¡°If I interpret it right, one can increase the force of a weapon¡¯s downward swing twice-fold at the cost of spiritual power, but it feels weird.¡±
¡°The power to increase the force of my downward swing,¡± Einar hummed as he recalled how the bear¡¯s swing could shatter the ground and yet even his strongest swing could barely cut through the bear¡¯s fur and flesh when he tried to behead it. ¡°That goes to my sword.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± the forgemaiden shrugged. ¡°The other one is an uncommon durability rune. This kind of rune tends to make things harder to destroy. It can be used on anything, whether an armour or a weapon but you can only have one in each piece. I suggest you use this on your breastplate. That¡¯s the most likely piece of armour to get damaged during a fight.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Einar agreed as he handed over his sword before taking off his armour and boots.
The forgemaiden put them down on the large stone steps and placed their respective runes on them before summoning her fiery hammer. A few swings later the hammer dissolved and the equipment pieces now had a new thumb-print-sized rune glowing on their surface. The people not far from them watched with awe and envy as the young giant gained three new runes, some whispering together while others tried to inch closer a bit to get a better look at the strengthened items.
¡°Now that I¡¯m done,¡± R¨²na let out a tired breath. ¡°You should bring your armour and the bear¡¯s corpse over to that altar and make your offering to the gods.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± the seeker nodded awkwardly. ¡°But how do I do that? The sacrifice thing, I mean.¡±
¡°No one taught you?¡± Arvid asked surprised. ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy. Put everything on an altar and drag the corpse in front of it, then pray. Tell them how you¡¯re offering this or that for them as a sacrifice and that you¡¯re asking for their blessing.¡±
¡°And that... works?¡±
¡°It usually does,¡± the forgemaiden replied. ¡°Of course, it always depends on the value of the sacrifice. Some things might get their attention while others just not worth their time.¡±
¡°I doubt you have to worry about it since that bear is huge.¡±
Einar put his boots back on and grabbed the bear carcass by the paw, dragging it down the large steps and across the proving ground that didn¡¯t react to his presence at all. He had to admit that the bear was the heaviest thing he had to move so far but it was still manageable. The giant slowly dragged that toward the weathered stone altar, stopping a few steps before it. He then pulled off his armour pieces and placed them atop the altar along with his pouch and fur mantle before pushing the bear¡¯s carcass in front of it. Arvid handed him the breastplate he hadn¡¯t put on before and the giant placed that beside the rest of his kit.
¡°I pray to you Harald, All-father of the gods. I offer this mighty bear to you as a sacrifice and seek your blessing to aid me in these dangerous lands.¡±
For several moments nothing happened, making Einar question if he did it the right way or if the bear wasn¡¯t worthy of Harald¡¯s attention, but then a golden lightning descended from the clear sky, striking the carcass. Everyone stepped back as they watched the bear catch on fire, the golden flames devouring it in mere seconds. The flame then congealed into a head-sized ball that floated above the altar, splitting in two.
Book: 1 Ch. 28 The ruined fort
Half of the flame created through the sacrificed bear flew up toward the sky while the other spilt over the altar and the armour pieces that lay on it. The flames burnt briefly, then went out as if someone blew out a candle. The seeker stepped closer to look at his equipment, finding that his armour changed slightly. The leather parts of his gear looked thicker and stronger while the metal pieces were far less crude and lacked any dents or scratch marks. The most noticeable change occurred to his mantle.
The originally black bear fur mantle was now ashen grey, a strange power wafting off of it. Einar could feel that the change was more than just what met the eye, so he silently thanked the All-father before donning his armour and mantle. Touching his world eater pouch let him feel that it was a few cubic feet bigger than before, maybe enough to put an extra barrel inside. Einar quickly donned his armour again, feeling its weight settle over his simple clothes. It was a welcome burden.
¡°That looks better,¡± Arvid noted with a smirk. ¡°That ashen fur does make you easier to notice though.¡±
The warrior¡¯s words soon dried up as the fur mantle lengthened into a full cloak that covered the giant¡¯s entire body beneath his head. It then shrank back as the seeker was about to turn and leave.
¡°Einar,¡± the shieldmaiden cold after him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°The wolves,¡± she pointed at the pair of carcasses not too far from them. ¡°How are we supposed to bring them down the mountain?¡±
¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll leave them at the foot of the mountain for you.¡± He hummed before heading over to shove the corpses back into his world eater pouch.
¡°By the way,¡± the seeker stopped for a moment.¡± Did you two manage to complete the second trial?¡±
¡°Oh now he¡¯s interested,¡± Arvid replied with a mock indignation. ¡°Of course, we did. I almost died to it too. Luckily your method worked.¡±
¡°That it did,¡± R¨²na nodded in agreement. ¡°But it seems I was right about the gods not wanting us to stick to a single method of passing the trial.¡±
¡°It no longer works then?¡± The giant turned back to look at the chequered proving ground that no one dared to challenge from those present.
¡°The people of the Falling Sun Empire arrived just about the time the third Viking after us was about to finish her trial,¡± the forgemaiden explained. ¡°Since we had no more people here at the time, they went ahead and challenged the trial, hoping to conquer it with the same as we did.¡±
¡°You can imagine the surprise on their faces when the first man who tried our method fell into the pit.¡±
¡°Then the next one,¡± R¨²na added. ¡°And the next.¡±
¡°They were quite mad about that,¡± the warrior remarked. ¡°They accused us of misleading them, not shutting up about it until more of our own arrived and one of them almost died from trying the same trick with the spears. Luckily the fool managed to grab onto a tile that didn¡¯t crumble and reached the bronze boundary. Not many got further than the silver boundary ever since.¡±
¡°I doubt we¡¯ll have any more of us who manage to reach the gold boundary either.¡± The forgemaiden sighed.
¡°Brynhildr will be mighty pissed about that,¡± Arvin chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s going to be raging about us not bringing her here first.¡±
¡°She can kiss my hammer for all I care, ¡°the giant of a woman scoffed as she turned toward Einar again. ¡°So, are you heading out to explore again?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even reached the ruins before getting my pouch filled and having to return.¡±
¡°Well, good luck out there,¡± R¨²na said with a serious tone. ¡°And try not to get yourself killed.¡±
¡°Will do.¡±
With their talk over, the giant walked up to the edge of the mountaintop and dropped down. turning into a raven and gliding down. Reaching the ground, he turned back into his true form and pulled the wolf carcasses out of his pouch. He then headed out once again toward the distant tower and ruins. Hours later when he finally arrived, the seeker found the remains of what could once have been a fortress of sorts.
Its large stone walls had crumbled with age and so did most of the buildings. Small houses and a ruined wall circled the fort, abandoned and overgrown. Einar landed on the outskirts of the ruins, unsheathing his sword before taking a single step forward. His caution paid out as barely a few steps in he was greeted by a dried-out draugr that shambled toward him with low growls. It wore mouldy clothes with decayed armour and held a rusted sword, hardly a threat to anyone any more. The seeker attacked the draugr, trying to will his blade¡¯s new ability to activate.
Suddenly, the sword felt heavier in his hand as he swung downward, the blade splitting the walking corpse in two at its whole length. It fell on the ground lifeless, again. The giant quickly took the rusted blade and shoved it into his pouch before picking up a dried-out coin pouch from the carcass. Prying it open he found a small handful of aged silver jewel fragments inside. ¡®Hacksilver?¡¯ Einar recognised it. Hacksilver was a currency made out of pieces of jewellery or small items, quite common among the Vikings as a result of both their raiding and trade traditions.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
He poured it into his world eater pouch and tried to look for anything else of value on the split carcass, but found nothing of worth. Heading forward, several more such draugr shambled out from between the ruined buildings, all of them ending up in pieces. The seeker reached the entry of the fort soon enough, a pair of draugr archers shooting arrows at him from the top of the weathered gate.
¡®How in Harald¡¯s beard do those bows still work?¡¯ He mused as he dodged the arrows and rushed beneath the gate before summoning his ice shield. Inside the fort, he found a set of stone stairs along the wall that let him reach the archers whom he dispatched with a few swings of his blade. A good handful of Hacksilver, a pair of ancient bows and some such later he began to search through the fort, fighting any draugr he found in the ruins. The main building of the fort proved to be a challenge to gain entry to as it had a pair of thick wooden doors that were reinforced with iron bars.
Walking around he found a window he could reach and leapt up to grab it. Einar climbed inside, finding himself in the main hall that was filled with the remains of a battle. ¡®Infighting?¡¯ He thought to himself while looking at the broken remains of the two sides. One side wore a faded red cloak while the other a withered blue one. It was common amongst the clans to have cloaks of a unified colour, often adorned with their symbol, making it clear that whatever happened here annihilated both sides. Einar heard tales from his father about schemes between the noble clans where an invitation to a feast ended in a massacre.
Either way, his thoughts were disrupted by the creaking sounds that came from the bodies on the ground. The age-old corpses began to move, slowly standing up between eerie firing their eyes. ¡®Great. More draugr.¡¯ The giant sighed as he unsheathed his sword and started swinging at the undead that turned their attention to him. Most of them went down easily but some of the larger ones put up quite the fight, earning Einar a few scratches on his armour and ice shield.
At some point, two heavily armoured and surprisingly large draugr shuffled forward, both wearing a different cloak. ¡®The clan leaders?¡¯ He asked from no one in particular as he staggered back from blocking a great axe that almost shattered his shield. The other oversized draugr swung a two-handed sword toward him that cut off the top of the already damaged shield, forcing him to take a few steps back. ¡®Fighting against two at the same time won¡¯t end well.¡¯ Einar thought as he backed up further, hopping over an old, rotting long table.
The draugr with the sword rushed toward him, crashing into the table that creaked and broke apart. It bought him enough time to will his sword to grow into its full length which he used to split the undead from neck to waist with his empowered downward swing. The monster barely noticed the damage done to it as it stood back up, its torso splitting a few inches apart but nothing more. He watched in disgust as the split-apart draugr continued to shuffle toward him with a foul ooze pouring from its flesh. Meanwhile, the one with the axe was circling the table toward his right.
¡®I have to finish one off while they¡¯re separated.¡¯ Einar decided as he rushed forward, stomping the split draugr in the waist, making it fall back from the force of the kick. He swung his blade in a horizontal line, splitting the creature¡¯s head in half around the nose. Its half skull rolled on the ground once before the seeker stomped on it. Despite its head being destroyed the body still twitched on the ground unable to move properly without something to control it. The giant sank his blade into the draugr¡¯s chest and twisted it with enough force to shatter its ancient ribs and rotten heart.
The body stilled and the youth let out a relieved breath before an axe swing knocked his blade to the side. His other opponent caught up with him, the axe barely missing his wrist with its strange arc. The large sword clamoured on the ground as the seeker staggered back more out of surprise than anything. His enemy tried to raise his axe up to the air once more, but Einar summoned a spear of fire which he stabbed straight into the draugr¡¯s heart. The monster dropped the large axe as the flames in its eyes got snuffed out and it collapsed on the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
Silence filled the chamber once again, only the seeker¡¯s heavy breaths resounding from time to time. With the threat finally gone, the young giant could finally have a better look around. The hall where he just fought was well-lit with several broken windows letting light inside. The large fireplace at the back of the hall and a dozen braziers along the stone pillars must have brought light and heat between the weathered walls once and the now rotten tables were filled with plates and tankards. Einar¡¯s thoughts about a feast taking place before a fight broke out seemed to be more and more likely to be true.
He picked up his sword from the ground, checking it for any damage, but only found a groove beneath the hilt of the blade. It wasn¡¯t anything serious and he figured that the next time he made an offer to the gods in hopes of strengthening his weapon, the damage would be gone too. Looking at his fallen enemies, the seeker stepped closer to the axe-wielding draugr to search its carcass for anything of use. Its weapon was dotted with rust, but otherwise fine, with a glowing rune and a tiny gemstone at the base of the axe head.
¡®A fine weapon.¡¯ Einar hummed as he put it away into his world eater pouch. It was followed by the enemy¡¯s damaged armour that was made with steel and leather of high quality. The long-dead clan leader had a few pieces of silver and gold jewellery which were also pocketed along with a pouch full of coins. Turning his attention to the sword-wielding clan head, he found a weapon and armour of similar design and quality, except the chest piece which he ruined by splitting it in two. The rest of the warriors had little value besides a couple of old weapons, pieces of armour and a few handfuls of coins and Hacksilver.
Looking around he found several silver plates and pitchers between the wreckage of the long tables, a proof of the wealth of the keep¡¯s former owner. There were a couple of doors he could choose from to continue his exploration, the large one on his right side leading to a hallway which held the door leading outside. It was bared with a large and sturdy-looking wooden beam, although he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason why. ¡®Were they expecting reinforcements to come to the aid of the clan they planned to slaughter?¡¯ With no one to answer his questions, Einar decided to continue his search.
He found a ruined kitchen, storages and even rooms meant for thralls, stashing away anything of value along the way. The few draugr that crept up on him ended up dead once again and the seeker soon found his way up to the next floor of the keep. The second floor held several smaller rooms with ruined beds and chests inside them, making it the sleeping area of the keep. Einar found little of value besides some Hacksilver and a few baubles, even the small library coming up empty as most of the texts crumbled or faded beyond use.
A couple of weapons and shields were hung on the walls along with old hunting trophies, some finding their way into his pouch as he went about with his search. By the time he reached the top of the stairs that led up the tower, the sun was already hanging low, threatening to disappear behind the trees. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ll have to stay here tonight.¡¯ He thought as he reached the top of the tower, finding it sparse with a brazier, a pair of crumbling chairs and a table. ¡®They must have used it as a watchtower.¡¯ The seeker mused as he looked out the holes in the wall that enabled him to check toward the four directions. Not wanting to spend the night down amongst the twice-dead, Einar decided to sleep in the tower.
Book: 1 Ch. 29 The Drake
Einar broke apart the old chairs and table, piling up the wood a few feet from the brazier. He then went downstairs to repeat the same with several more ancient furniture to gather enough wood for the night. The giant returned upstairs and locked the hatch behind him, lighting a fire in the brazier before pulling out his bedroll from his bag. Sleep came fast after eating some rations, and the sounds of the night did little to disturb him.
When the morning finally came, the young giant broke camp and turned into his raven form, flying out through the lookout spot of the tower. His next target for exploration was the glade on the opposite side of the ancient path. It took him nearly three hours to reach it, switching between walking and flying, several wild herbs finding their way into his mystical drinking horn along the way.
When he arrived at the entrance of the glade, he found jagged rocks jutting up from the ground in a circular fashion, small overgrown craters in their centre. One of them was strangely clear of foliage yet filled with the bones of animals. At the other end of the clearing, a long scar marred the ground, stopping a foot or so away from a tree. Einar slowly and carefully walked closer, finding broken and overgrown corpses in and around the craters along the way.
¡®This must have been a terrifying battle.¡¯ He deduced, his eyes drawn toward the dark scar on the rocky ground. Getting close enough, the seeker could see some light glint through the faint layer of dust on the darkened ground, a glassy surface revealing itself after he stirred the dirt with his feet. ¡®Obsidian?¡¯ He asked himself, baffled by the thing he saw.
It was as if whatever made the scar had turned the rocky ground into pure obsidian. He had no idea if that was even possible to do, but if it could be done, then whoever did it had to be far more powerful than anyone he had met so far. A step ahead of the scar on the ground grew a red-leafed tree with a twisted trunk that was ashen grey, its roots digging into the obsidian as if it were ordinary dirt. The cracks on the tree¡¯s bark glowed with a faint red hue and there were five fiery-red fruits the likes of he had never seen before.
The seeker stepped closer to the tree that was nearly twice his size, trying to reach up for the low-hanging fruits when a spear whizzed by his head. He stopped for a moment and turned around, finding a lone warrior walking toward him. He had seen people wear similar armour on the proving ground before, but it didn¡¯t belong to the Falling Sun Empire or the Eastern Alliance. The warrior kept walking toward him, one hand holding a circular bronze shield, the other held out toward Einar.
¡°That treasure doesn¡¯t belong to you,¡± the stranger said with a firm yet feminine tone. ¡°It is a bounty meant for Hellada.¡±
¡°Hellada,¡± Einar repeated the name, vaguely recalling the distant kingdom from his father¡¯s tales. ¡°What makes you think it belongs to your people? I don¡¯t see your flag beside it.¡±
¡°Do you even know what that fruit is?¡± The woman asked back, not with anger or reproach, but in a calm tone.
¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯ve ever seen anything like it, but I can feel the might of fire from it. It... it calls to me.¡±
¡°Calls to you,¡± the woman looked at him with honey-gold eyes from behind her bronze helmet. ¡°Do you possess the blessing of fire?¡±
¡°In a way.¡± The seeker admitted, surprised by how... civil their meeting was so far when every other person either tried to kill him or ridicule him.
¡°That is a Promethean Fig tree,¡± she explained while walking closer, the spear she threw away now flying back to her grip. ¡°It is a gift from the ancient god of fire and smithing from the old world. The Magos had told us about it, warning us that it should not be allowed to fall into the hands of outlanders.¡±
¡°And now you want to stop me from taking it.¡±
¡°I am bound to do so by my oath to Hellada.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not giving up on this treasure.¡± Einar said with a deep growl as his hair began to light up.
¡°Then you leave me... what?¡±
The warrior¡¯s words were cut short as the ground slightly trembled beneath them. A roar came from the forest where some of the trees looked bent and crooked, as a giant beast rushed out of it. It shattered whatever tree or stone got in its way while spewing flames from its mouth.
¡°A drake!¡± The seeker recognised the beast that looked like a lizard that grew nearly as tall and thrice as long as the giant bear he fought the previous day.
¡°It¡¯s the guardian of the tree,¡± the woman said as she retreated behind the nearby jagged rocks. ¡°It must have left to hunt for food but sensed our presence.¡±
Einar followed the woman¡¯s example and rushed toward the circle of stones, hoping it could stop the beast long enough for him to decide whether he would stay to fight or fly away. The drake rushed toward the tree, sniffing at it for a moment before it turned its attention toward the intruders.
¡°Have you ever fought one of these before?¡± Einar asked, earning a head shake from the warrior.
¡°I¡¯ve only heard tales about them,¡± she said, taking up a battle stance with her shield held forward and her spear close to its top. ¡°A relentless beast that would chase its prey to the end of the world once it caught their scent. Its scales are as hard as steel and its breath is hotter than a forge¡¯s flames.¡±
¡°Any weak points besides the eyes?¡±
¡°The scales on its belly are thinner, but it hangs too close to the ground to be attacked. The Magos also told us about the fire-stones in its throat.¡±
¡°Fire-stones?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡°Gems the size of a walnut, connected by strings of metal-like sinews. When it breaths out, the air touches the cords, catching on fire. That is how it spews flames.¡±
The seeker listened to her words like a hunter gathering tips on how to kill its prey. Meanwhile, the drake decided to rush toward them, surrounded by fire as it roared.
¡°Here it comes!¡± The woman said as the beast rammed the circle of stones that barely reached up to its body.
The two large rocks that stood in its way exploded into pieces, barely slowing it down. Einar rolled out of the way while the woman did the same, just after stabbing toward the beast¡¯s eye with her spear. The tip of the spear skidded along its scaly face bone, missing the eye by a few inches. The drake came to a grinding halt when it realized it had missed both targets. Einar ran up to its hind leg, taking a low swing at the back of the creature¡¯s ankle. A tactic Bj?rn often used with his old hunting group to injure and slow down larger enemies.
His blade reached the hefty leg, cracking some scales before the drake swept its tail toward the seeker, sending him flying. It was about to turn around, opening its mouth when a spear stabbed toward it, piercing the corner of its mouth. Blood trickled down the weapon¡¯s tip, forcing the beast to snap toward its other attacker. Einar got up from the ground with his sword in hand, anger flaring up in him as his hair lit up with a pale flame.
He rushed forward once more swinging the sword to the same leg, the blade biting an inch or too deep into the sinewy flesh. The drake roared in anger and pain as it whirled around to retaliate, finding a spear of ice that flew toward its opened mouth. The flames spewed out by the large lizard melted most of the incoming spear, a small piece of it striking the roof of its mouth. It snapped its mouth shut with a yelp while swiping at Einar with its barrel-thick forelimb.
The seeker backed away, his eyes on the enemy that soon got stabbed in its leg at a low angle by the warrior. This back-and-forth battle went on for a few minutes, the drake slowing down as its limbs got more and more wounds. When its rage reached the breaking point, the ash and soot-covered scales began to glow at their meeting points and its body released a heatwave that sent both Einar and the warrior tumbling back.
The seeker was already feeling weak from the passing of ¡®dragon¡¯s pride¡¯ and couldn¡¯t defend against another tail swipe that sent him crashing into one of the nearby rocks. The warrior didn¡¯t get away scot-free either as the drake swiped at her shield and chest at the same moment she managed to finally stab it in the eye. She bounced and rolled on the ground from the force of the strike, skidding a few feet before a large stone stopped her.
Einar watched as the raging beast was about to belch fire on her and couldn¡¯t do anything besides swing down at its tail with all of his might. The empowered downward swing chopped off a good foot-long piece from the tail¡¯s tip, forcing the drake to roar in pain as it tried to turn toward him. The next moment it was stabbed in the throat from below, the warrior using up the last of her strength to throw her weapon at her enemy. It gurgled as the spear¡¯s tip drilled into its windpipe, its one good eye locking onto her.
¡®A chance.¡¯ The seeker thought as he rushed forward on the drake¡¯s blind side and stepped under its neck, stabbing upward with his two-handed sword. The drake was in the middle of lowering its head so it leaned into the attack, causing the blade¡¯s tip to slip between its scales and sever both its windpipe and some major blood vessels. It cried out in agony as it yanked its head sideways, creating a wide gash while freeing itself.
Its clawed front limb swung out, shattering the ice shield the giant summoned, sending him rolling again. Blood spilt from the open gash in large amounts, covering the ground in a steaming red liquid that burned to the touch. Einar staggered back, his eyes widening as the drake opened its mouth to shower him in flames, but its mouth was forced shut as a familiar-looking spear stabbed it at the chin, pushing the weapon upward. The beast seemed to have decided to crush the warrior with its head as it endured the pain and slammed its head down, the bottom end of the spear hitting the ground as the weapon bent under the beast¡¯s weight.
The seeker snapped out of his stupor at this sight and moved beside the warrior, his sword shrinking to a shot-blade which he stabbed into the gaping wound he previously made. Stifling a scream of pain the young giant pushed the sword as deep as he could while the steaming blood scalded his arms and twisted the blade sideways, completely cutting the drake¡¯s neck apart. It reeled back just long enough for the seeker and the warrior to retreat and the two of them watched as the beast shook its head while roaring to get the stuck blade out of its wound. At this point it was bleeding like a struck pig, its movements growing erratic and slow as it tried to back away.
¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The young woman said with a raspy voice as the drake finally collapsed after trashing about for another half minute.
They watched the light leave its large eyes, the young woman stumbling backwards a few steps until her back knocked against one of the still-intact jagged rocks. She slid down into a sitting position, leaving a trail of blood on the rock. It was then that Einar noticed the jagged claw marks that shredded her armour on her left side, large red cuts showing beneath.
¡®Damn!¡¯ He hissed as he tried to move toward her, his own body aching from the cracked bones and torn muscles he earned during the fight. Reaching into his word eater pouch, the seeker pulled free his drinking horn as he hobbled closer to the wounded warrior. He willed the horn to use up one of its charges, kneeling beside the woman.
¡°Drink this.¡± He held out the now-filled horn.
¡°What is it?¡± She asked with a weak hesitation, her eyes slowly losing focus due to the heavy blood loss.
¡°Drink.¡± The seeker repeated as he held a horn close to her mouth, helping her lean her head back.
This time she didn¡¯t hesitate and drank what he offered in a few short gulps, her eyes widening as her wounds began to close up nearly immediately. Einar summoned another round of healing nectar, letting her drink that too before he used up the last of the horn¡¯s charges to heal himself. He sat down for a minute, revelling in their hard-earned victory while his injuries mended themselves.
¡°It was a mighty foe.¡± The seeker said with a heavy voice as he finally stood back up, holding out a hand toward the warrior.
¡°That it was,¡± she replied, accepting the help as she got back onto her feet. ¡°An arduous challenge that left behind a treasure of a corpse.¡±
¡°Those scales are though,¡± Einar remarked. ¡°They would be a good material for armour.¡±
¡°And the claws would make fine weapons. Not to mention the fire-stones in its throat.¡±
The two looked at each other with a knowing smile, exchanging a nod before they slowly walked closer to the drake¡¯s corpse. Einar held his drinking horn toward the carcass, watching as the warrior pulled out a small jug-like thing from her pouch. The blood around the corpse was steadily waning in its glow, but it still heeded the call of the God-marked¡¯s vessels. It released a golden-red mist that split in two, filling the horn and the jug with a glowing red dew. Einar held his horn toward the warrior with a hopeful look on his face, the woman hesitating for a moment before slightly knocking her jug to the horn. They then drank the nectar to receive whatever power they could gain from the drake.
Book: 1 Ch. 30 Hunting trophies and the trial of grit
Raw might and vitality rushed into his stomach, spreading across Einar¡¯s entire body as his muscles burned and swelled momentarily. He felt stronger, but more than that, healthier. It was a mesmerising feeling. One he could get lost in if not for the giant scaly corpse in front of him. There were plenty of materials he could get from the drake. That is if she was able to harvest them.
Knowing that both its scales and the skin beneath those were though on the upper part of its body, the seeker stepped beside the wound on its neck to make use of it once again. He slid his seax beneath its skin, cutting it from inward out along the line where the tougher and softer scales met. Einar then began to pull the scaly hide upward while carving under it with his knife, splitting the skin from the stringy flesh. It was a hard but rewarding task that earned him several square feet worth of fresh hide. He split it in half, rolling up his share before putting it away into his world eater pouch.
¡°The hide from its belly might not be as though as the one from its back,¡± the warrior spoke as she stepped beside him. ¡°But it is still good for bags or under-armour.¡±
The seeker turned toward her, only to see the woman holding out her left hand that held a chestnut-sized red stone. It looked like a large cloudy uncut ruby that had a spark of flame inside it while it was also wrapped in a glowing red cord.
¡°This...¡±
¡°It¡¯s one of the fire stones and some of the flame cords,¡± she explained. ¡°I took the other one for myself. These should help you strengthen your weapons.¡±
¡°And this should help reinforce your armour.¡± Einar said as he exchanged the fire-stone with the other half of the scaly upper hide he skinned off of the drake.
¡°This will make a fine armour,¡± the warrior agreed. ¡°Can you...¡±
¡°Get the skin from its belly? I could try.¡± He agreed, pushing the carcass with all his might to roll it onto its back.
The woman stepped beside the corpse to help and after some effort, the drake rolled over. The young giant began to work on the softer skin, filleting it off as he did it with the previous one. By the time he was done with the task, the warrior had already removed the drake¡¯s claws and some of its fangs. They split the materials between themselves, cutting off some meat from the beast as well as taking a few tendons and bones. Hours went by and the once mighty drake¡¯s carcass began to look rather disturbing in its butchered state.
While the warrior cut the beast open to search for the more precious innards, Einar wiped his hands and walked over to the fig tree. During the drake¡¯s charge, its tail slapped into the tree, snapping off a few branches and some bark. Those pieces of wood were still glowing faintly with a weak heat emanating from them. The seeker took some of the larger branches and some bark before looking up at the glowing red fruits. Feeling a heavy tug on his mind and soul he picked a fig from the tree and bit into it.
A heat, unlike anything he felt before rushed down his throat with every bite, even more powerful than the nectar he drank after defeating the drake. Its power spread across his body as tiny gusts of flames sparked along his skin. When he looked up at the rest of the fruits, the giant noticed that their lustre seemed to have faded into a softer glow than before. He didn¡¯t feel the same tug on his soul when looking at them which made him understand that he could gain nothing from eating any more. Einar picked off the other four figs, putting one into his pouch before collecting the rest of the broken branches which he brought over to the warrior along with the figs.
¡°Here,¡± he said as he held out the fruits and the wood pieces. ¡°These are yours.¡±
¡°There were five figs.¡± The woman said as she looked at the fruits in his hand.
¡°I ate one.¡± The seeker stated calmly.
¡°And the last one?¡±
¡°I have a blacksmith friend who is a descendant of fire giants. I plan on giving it to her.¡±
¡°I... I see,¡± she let out a sigh after a few seconds of silence. ¡°It is a shame that two of the figs got crushed when the drake attacked us.¡±
¡°A sad thing,¡± Einar nodded along. ¡°But this wood is also a treasure for anyone with a spear or a bow. It¡¯s strong and it holds some traces of fire magic inside.¡±
¡°So it would seem,¡± the warrior agreed as she put away the fruits and the mystical branches. ¡°I must admit, you fought well for a Northman.¡±
¡°Einar.¡±
¡°What?¡± She looked up into his eyes.
¡°My name is Einar. Einar Arnessen.¡±
¡°Alcmene,¡± the warrior replied as she stood up, reaching a height a good foot shorter than the seeker. ¡°Alcmene of Sitos.¡±
¡°You fought well, Alcmene. Your skill with the spear would make many seasoned warriors envious.¡± The seeker admitted as the woman pointed at a few pieces of innards placed on a scrap of drake skin.
¡°Those are yours as well,¡± she stated with a slightly softer tone. ¡°Half a heart, liver and lungs along with a kidney. I was told that they make fine offerings for the gods. Since it¡¯s a male drake, it has other parts you can take, but I¡¯ll leave collecting those up to you.¡±
The giant felt a shiver run along his spine as he realised what the woman was trying to say. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
¡°Well, Einar,¡± she spoke as she packed away her share of the spoils. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go. Plenty of other beasts and treasures out there waiting for me.¡±
¡°Good luck then.¡± The seeker replied awkwardly as the warrior turned to walk away.
¡°And to you as well,¡± she threw it over her shoulder while walking. ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll meet again if fate wills it.¡±
Einar watched in silence as Alcmene slowly disappeared into the woods, his thoughts slightly in disarray. A good minute later he snapped out of it and turned his attention back to the drake. ¡®I know they make for a fine offering, but this still feels wrong.¡¯ He thought to himself as he walked over to the carcass with seax in hand. After neutering the carcass, he wrapped the pile of innards and flesh into the drake¡¯s skin before putting them inside his world eater pouch. With everything worth taking now in his bag, the seeker looked around to make sure no one else was around before jumping into the air as black mist burst out of his body.
He turned into his raven form and flew high above the crown of the trees, trying to look for a good spot to spend the night since the sun was already falling. He flew as high as he safely could in a minute, his bird eyes searching for the right spot which he found a good distance away. The seeker barely lowered himself a few feet above the ground before his spiritual strength dried up completely, forcing him to return to his human form. ¡®That was close.¡¯ He admitted after dropping down as he began to walk away toward the direction of his next destination.
Switching between his human and raven forms, Einar reached the distant glade in about three hours, finding what he believed to be another small ruined settlement. The sparse few houses of the village encircled something that resembled a strange set of stairs. The large stone steps led upwards for a good thirty-five feet with each of the four sides resembling a roughly shaped triangle. At the top of the stairs was a stone altar, but as Einar walked closer to the strange stair, he could feel the hair on his back rise.
It was a strange feeling as if he was staring at death itself, desolate and all-devouring. Every part of him screamed at the seeker, telling him to turn around and leave, but a small fragment of his mind urged him to get closer and find out why the stairs made him want to run away. A wave of cold sweat ran down his back when he put a foot on the first step, an unseen hand pushing him fully up on the weathered stone stair. A wall of mystical energy rose from the edge of the stairs, creating a wall around the structure while an old and emotionless voice resounded in his mind.
¡°Death is inevitable both for mortals and gods,¡± the voice whispered. ¡°It is impossible to run away from it while running towards it is also foolish. It takes a strong will to walk forward, knowing that death watches at every corner. To leave behind those you love in search of what you want. The trial of grit shall test if your will is strong enough to reach the end of your path.¡±
The voice went silent for a moment as the young giant felt the stairs faintly tremble beneath his feet. He looked up toward the altar, watching it with a baffled expression as new steps grew out of the top of the structure, making it seem as if the altar was steadily rising toward the clouds.
¡°Do not stop. Do not look back and do not back down or death will claim you. Push through greed, lust, pain, regret and contentment to conquer this trial. Stop on the bronze or silver steps to finish your journey early on, claiming a fraction of what is ordained to those with a strong mind. Your trial shall begin... now.¡±
With the voice announcing the start of the third trial, Einar began to walk up the stone steps, the first dozen doing nothing.
¡°Einar,¡± a familiar voice called out to him from the left, the seeker found Kari standing on the side of the strange stone structure with a child in her arms. ¡°Please, come back home to us! Your son needs you.¡±
¡°I... my son,¡± the seeker muttered as he kept staring at the bundled-up child with the tiny red tuft of hair. ¡°No. This isn¡¯t real.¡±
He turned his head back toward the stairs, pushing himself forward as he felt an icy chill run down his spine. Whatever that thing was, it wasn¡¯t Kari. Einar kept walking, barely a few steps later another familiar voice calling out to him.
¡°My son,¡± the gentle voice of his mother resounded from his left, the sight of a somewhat frail and teary-eyed woman looking back at him. ¡°Please, come back to us! I don¡¯t want to lose you to some foolish quest for glory.¡±
¡°Mother,¡± he tried to look away, his heart aching from the sight of her crying like that. ¡°I can¡¯t. Not yet.¡±
He looked back at the stairs, feeling as if they had grown longer than before. His steps felt heavier as his father, his siblings and a scarce few friends tried to call out to him, all of them asking him to give up on his deadly quest for glory. After a while, he stopped looking at them at all, pushing onward with teary eyes as the voices grew more desperate, some begging, others cursing at him. Then, only silence. When he was about to let out a sigh of relief, his nose caught a familiar scent.
¡°Hello there my love.¡± The voice returned, this time, more honeyed and excited.
Slightly turning toward the origin of the voice, the young giant found Kari standing on the side of the stairs once again. This time however there was no child in her arm. She stood there alone and fully naked, giving him a sultry smile as she beckoned him closer.
¡°Don¡¯t you want to join me tonight like you did on the night of the farewell feast?¡±
¡°I... damn you!¡± he growled as he snapped his eyes back on the stone stairs, feeling a raw heat spread through his chest. ¡°This isn¡¯t real. It¡¯s not her.¡±
Einar tried to convince himself as he continued forward, his mouth turning dry while walking. Every few steps a new voice called out to him, first only one, then two and then even more. Unknown women appeared on both sides of the stairs, each more voluptuous than the other. They chuckled and called out to him, some even reaching out to caress his face. Their scent sank into his thoughts, their smooth-skinned bare bodies burning into his mind as he gritted his teeth, pushing forward with each step growing heavier.
It felt as if hours had gone by since he started the trial, the charming women finally growing quiet as he left them behind. As the seeker kept going, he noticed something a few steps higher. The weathered stone step ahead of him was glowing with a faded bronze hue, making him realise that he had only now reached the first point where he could stop and leave the trial. ¡®I¡¯m only at the first stop? After all of¡ this?¡¯ He questioned himself, his heart pounding at the thought of what might await him further up the stairs. The young giant had to admit that this trial felt harder than either of the previous ones. Or the fight with the bear. Or the drake.
A part of him considered stopping on the glowing step, but he quickly pushed a thought aside. He came here to conquer the trial, not to walk away with some consolation prize. Making up his mind, the seeker went ahead, stepping over the glowing stone step, to continue his journey up the stairs. After a few minutes of walking, he began to notice coins appear on the stone slabs on the sides of the stairs. A few old brass coins at first, silver taking their place soon enough. Sometime later the silver coins got replaced by gold ones, their shining glow tugging on his soul as he kept walking. The coins then began to have small jewels amongst them, ornate rings and necklaces strewn across the piles of coins.
Book: 1 Ch. 31 The trial cleared and the offerings made
The worth of the treasures that lay around was beyond anything Einar had earned so far, yet there were more valuable items ahead. He saw weapons made of fine Arbalt steel, glowing runes appearing on more and more of them. Some had mystical gems embedded in their hilts or in their cross-guards, raw power emanating from them. They were far better than his own, some swords wreathed in flames, others crackling with lightning bolts. Einar almost reached out a few times to grab a weapon or a jewellery but he always pulled back his hands as soon as they neared the edge of the stairs.
¡®None of these are real.¡¯ He kept repeating it to himself trying to close his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t. It was at this moment that he realized something. He hadn¡¯t blinked once since the start of the trial. His eyes were wide open the whole time without ever needing to close them for a second. ¡®Looks like the gods don¡¯t want me to cheat.¡¯ The seeker thought to himself as he kept going on. Trying his hardest to keep his draconic greed at bay, the young giant kept on ascending the stairs until he managed to leave behind the treasures and mystical weapons.
Soon enough, he reached a point where one of the steps glowed with a silver hue. ¡®The second stopping point.¡¯ He understood its meaning but kept on walking. Barely five steps later a cold wind began to bear down on him. At first, it was just slightly annoying, which turned into unpleasant. Soon enough the wind became cold enough to make his teeth chatter as his armour and clothes began to frost over. It was bitingly cold, unlike anything he had ever felt even though he survived many harsh winters. He could feel his arms and legs becoming heavier and slower, making each step a chore.
His stubbornness kept pushing him forward even when his vision started to blur from the cold that suddenly disappeared as if it never existed. Einar found himself perfectly fine with no ice or snow on his armour, no chilling cold in his veins. His relief was short-lived as he was soon hit by a fiery heat. At first, he was sweating, and then the air became hot enough to singe his skin. His armour heated up, sealing him in a cage of scorching agony that tortured him with every step forward. ¡®This isn¡¯t real.¡¯ Einar growled, pushing forward without stopping even when flames began to appear around him, burning him alive. A quarter of an hour or so later the flames sputtered out and the heat disappeared without a trace.
A gentle wind picked up around him as rain began to fall, clouds appearing above him. Soon the clouds began to rumble and lightning struck the stones around the stairs. The rain picked up and turned into a torrent that beat down on him, the lightning bolts striking closer and closer to the seeker until one of them arced his way, an arrow-sized branch of the lightning hitting his left shoulder. Einar almost staggered back as his body convulsed for a moment. He had never been struck by lightning before, but then again, he never met anyone who had survived such a thing.
More and more small lighting arcs struck him, trying to push him down the wet stone steps as his own body fought against him due to the jolting pain. ¡®This. Isn¡¯t. Real.¡¯ The giant tried to convince himself, pushing aside the sudden waves of pain, his body shaking and his consciousness wavering. Long and arduous minutes passed by before the storm disappeared like the biting cold and scorching heat did before it. Einar¡¯s consciousness cleared up and he found himself looking at the weathered stone altar. He did it, He finally pushed through the trial and... something was wrong. The seeker couldn¡¯t say what was it that made him feel that way, but he knew for sure that something was awry.
Einar tried to recall the words of the mysterious voice and the events that happened during his long walk. Thanks to reaching the top of the stairs, he was... content? That was it. The young giant pushed through regret and lust. He pushed through greed and pain yet there was one last thing the voice mentioned. ¡®Contentment.¡¯ Einar whispered as he looked at the altar ahead of him, still unable to blink and took another step forward. The raised leg didn¡¯t knock into the altar as one would have expected but moved through it, the mirage breaking apart as Einar stepped up onto another stone step that was glowing with a golden light.
The world around him shattered as he felt something push him forward, his body leaving the stairs and reaching the top. He collapsed on the hard stone floor, panting and shaking, his eyes bloodshot. The sun above him barely moved from the sky, making him realize that he had likely only spent a few minutes with the trial, even though it felt like hours. As he looked back, the endless stairs were gone too, only about twenty steps standing between him and the dirt-covered ground.
¡°Regret can chain a man,¡± the voice returned in his mind. ¡°But it can also motivate them. So can lust and greed.¡±
Einar finally felt the weight lifting from his body and the eerie sensation of death that was breathing down on his neck had also disappeared.
¡°Challenges and pain can change people, either breaking them or raising them up,¡± the voice continued. ¡°But false contentment is the greatest threat of all. It can stop one from reaching their truest desires or their greatest potential. Never falter and never back down. Do not bow to false greatness and do not be content with what you can get with little effort. True power requires hard decisions and sacrifices.¡±
With the strange lecture over, the voice disappeared for good and a purple flame appeared above the altar. It spread across its surface, burning brightly for a moment before it disappeared, leaving behind whatever the seeker was deemed worthy to gain for his suffering. The first reward the giant noticed was the head-sized purple cloud that floated just a bit above the altar. Einar pulled out his drinking horn and held it out toward the cloud that flew above the horn and filled it with a deep purple nectar that sparkled like the night sky. He drank it in one go and felt his head clear up, his thoughts becoming more grounded as he reigned in his emotions. Putting away the horn, he looked at the other four treasures.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
The first one was a small stack of old golden coins, just like in the previous trials. He added the coins to his steadily growing pile, turning his attention to the next item. It was a granite rune stone with a glowing symbol on it he couldn¡¯t recognise. The third item of interest was a... scroll? The seeker was surprised to find a rolled-up sheepskin scroll amongst his reward but as he unfurled it to have a better look at it, his eyes widened. The scroll had a set of drawings and words on it which he made out to be a forging draft for a headband.
¡®A headband?¡¯ Einar did find it strange that he never got a helmet with his armour but... a headband? He knew that thanes and jarls wore fancy headbands during feasts or celebrations but it was rare for a warrior to prefer that compared to a good helmet. The drawings made it out to be something between a warrior¡¯s and a shaman¡¯s headband with runes covering its surface. ¡®Perhaps R¨²na could get a better sense of what this thing is for.¡¯ He thought with a sigh as he put away the scroll and turned toward the last item on the altar.
It was a metal badge that looked like a round shield with an eye carved into it with a purple gemstone giving it its colour. The badge ended up in the world eater pouch as well before the seeker finally let out a sigh of relief. Now that he survived the third trial, it was time for him to make an offering to the gods and ask for their blessing. Einar began to take off his armour, spreading its pieces out on the weathered stone altar before pulling out the damaged armours he scavenged from the draugr and the drake¡¯s scaly hide.
¡°I pray to you, Harald, All-father of the gods. I offer you the armour of my enemies and the hide of a mighty drake as a sacrifice and seek your blessing to aid me in these dangerous lands.¡±
Several seconds passed before a golden thunder struck from the clear evening sky, hitting the altar. It caught on fire, the golden flames devouring his offerings over a minute. When the fire went out, he found himself staring at his armour which was now quite different from how he remembered. It still looked similar to how it was before, but now the leather scales of his kit were gone. They got replaced by the scales of the drake, the metal parts shinier and thicker than before. The weight of his armour increased somewhat, but the feeling Einar got when he put them on was worth it.
He felt... protected. It wasn¡¯t just some empty sense of safety one would get from wearing armour. It felt heavier and mightier than that. His kit was now beyond what a mortal armour could be. ¡®Thank you, All-father!¡¯ He mouthed a silent prayer before placing his axes, sword and seax on the altar, covering them with the blades and axes he got from the draugr he fought in the feasting hall of the ruined keep. He put most of the drake''s teeth and claws on top of the piles as well. A sudden thought stopped him for a moment and he reached into his pouch. The seeker pulled out his share of the drake¡¯s firestone, unwinding the fiery cord from it before placing the mystical stone on the pile.
¡°I pray to you, Steinar, God of War and lord of all battlefields. I offer you the weapons of my enemies along with the claws and fangs of a mighty drake as a sacrifice and seek your blessing to aid me in the battles that await me in these lands.¡±
Once again, silence filled the air for a few moments before a crimson lightning with gold edges struck down at the altar from the clear sky, burning away the pile of offerings. The flames burned with the furious red for a while, then they got snuffed out by the gentlest breeze the seeker could notice. Einar stepped closer to the altar, finding his weapons lying there, their edges gleaming with a sharp light. Their surface was smooth with no sign of rust or any scratches, their touch reassuring the seeker as he felt their weight.
The most noticeable thing was that the dragon head pommel of his sword was now more refined than before, the dragon¡¯s once empty mouth now biting on a small red stone. As the seeker held the blade up, he could feel it thirsting for his attention and his spiritual power. He let it trickle into the weapon and watched as the gem flashed with power before the edge of the sword caught on fire.¡°A fire-blessed weapon.¡± He muttered in surprise as he watched the burning sword in his hand.
His father often told him tails about the mystical weapons wielded by the heroes of bygone times so he knew full well the value such a weapon had. It would take a master craftsman as well as either some rare and precious materials or a rune of primal fire to create a weapon such as his. ¡®Thank you, Steinar! I will use this blessing to fight even mightier battles than before.¡¯ He made the silent vow before calming his blade and sheathing it. He summoned his bow and placed it on the altar along with the bows he took from the draugr, one of the branches he got from the fiery fig tree. He also placed the drake''s fiery cord on the branch along with a claw and fang before he began to pray once more.
¡°I pray to you, Ysra, goddess of the hunt. I offer you the bows of my enemies and the trophies I gained from a mighty drake as a sacrifice and seek your blessing to aid me in my future hunts and battles.¡±
Silence followed his words. Dead silence. Einar started to think that his offering wasn''t worthy of the goddess, but a bright green lightning with golden edges struck the altar, covering it with flames that reminded the young giant of the forest''s leaves. Some time later the flames died out, leaving behind a bow made of somewhat reddish wood and a glowing red bowstring. The bowstring was strange, slowly pulsing with a faint light as if it was the heartstring of a slumbering beast. It had a faint green line running along it, the reward from his first trial.
He held the bow with a firm hand, drawing it to its full curve while summoning a spirit arrow. Einar felt a similar call from the bow as the one he felt from his sword, the pale bluish arrow turning a fiery red once he heeded the weapon''s call. When the arrow was let loose, it burned through the air, scorching the ground not far from the bottom of the stone structure he stood on. ¡®I thank you, Ysra, for this boon. It will prove useful against my future enemies.¡¯ He said in his mind while dismissing his bow.
With his arms and armour out of the way, the giant began to pull out the organs of the drake from his world eater pouch, along with a few bones, some flesh and a small piece of its remaining hide. He also placed the drake''s man parts on the altar along with his drinking horn before stepping back.
¡°I pray to you, Elvine, goddess of fertility and healing. I offer you the flesh and innards of a mighty drake as a sacrifice and seek your blessing to aid me in these dangerous lands.¡±
His words were almost immediately answered, but not in the way he was expecting it. No lightning struck from the clear sky this time. Instead, small motes of light appeared in the air, forming butterflies made out of a faint green light.
Book: 1 Ch. 32 Sorting out the changes
The butterflies landed on the offering, their light covering the altar for a whole minute. Einar had to cover his eyes for most of it and when he could finally look back down, his offerings were gone. The drinking horn floated an inch or so above the altar, filled with a swirling dew that shone in green, gold and red simultaneously. The seeker reached out and grabbed the horn, drinking the blessed nectar in one go.
It had an earthy taste, reminding him of fresh root vegetables and berries. A moment later he collapsed on the ground as a painful heat sparked in his heart, spreading across his body, down into the depths of his bones. The air left his lungs for a moment as every part of his body creaked and pulsed with pain, his loin and stones burning fiercely. ¡®What in Harald¡¯s beard?¡¯ He thought as the pain subsided, the fire replaced by a cool sensation with the first breath he took. Einar felt... lively. He felt strong and full of vigour as if he had just woke up from the best sleep of his life.
¡®I thank you, Elvine, for¡ whatever that did.¡¯ He sighed, getting back up. With the sacrifices offered and blessings gained, the young giant found it better to find shelter for the night. The stone buildings that surrounded the third trial were mostly in ruins so he picked the least damaged one to rest in. Einar collected some firewood and made camp inside the old house, barricading the only entrance to it.
Once the fire was lit, he sat down not far from it with his back against the wall. It was time for him to see what changed in his inner world. The darkness of closed-eyed meditation was overtaken by the gentle light of the braziers that burned on both sides of his own small altar. Stepping closer, the seeker reached out to touch the familiar object that lay beside the four stone figurines. It was the shield badge with the eye on it he just earned from the trial. As he grabbed it, a new hole appeared on the stone wall behind the altar just above the crystal arrow. He socketed the badge into the hole and glowing words appeared on the wall.
{Shielded Mind}
{A warrior¡¯s mind must be his and only his to command. The shielded mind feat draws on one¡¯s grit to form a mystical shield in their mind to protect it from the manipulation of others. Be it a simple charm or a gaze into your mind, you shall be protected as long as the spell isn¡¯t at least twice as strong as your grit. You can also feel any intrusion attempt and can determine its direction.}
¡®A feat to protect the mind.¡¯ Einar hummed to himself as he read the description. When he was little, his father told him stories about creatures that could mesmerize people, turning the hunter into the hunted. Other monsters could paralyse you with just a gaze or turn you into stone. The shielded mind feat was precious and also quite appropriate given the trial he just went through. As the golden words faded from the stone wall, Einar touched the first figurine on the altar, the familiar heraldry appearing on the stone slab.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 6250}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: known by a few}
{Attributes}
? Charm:13
? Deftness: 24
? Divinity: 10
? Grit: 20
? Heart; 29
? Luck: 14
? Might: 33
? Mind: 15
? Soul: 24
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
105/139/109
Compared to the last time he checked on his heraldry, the changes were quite drastic this time. Both his heart and might attributes went up by four. Of course, his grit also rose by three and his divinity by one as he imagined it would after finishing the trial. What he didn¡¯t know was how his soul got strengthened by two and his deftness by four. It took him a few moments to figure out the possible cause of his sudden growth, but it did make sense.
He imagined that the boon he gained from defeating the giant wolves and bear raised his might by two and the offering he made to Elvine from the flesh and innards of the drake was the likely cause for the rest of his rise in power. It would also explain how his vigour and fortitude rose so sharply. The seeker remembered feeling full of energy after receiving Elvine¡¯s blessing and she was known as the goddess of healing for a reason.
Looking through his skills and spells, the young giant found the answer to his question about the increase of his soul attribute. He found that both his frost shield and his elemental spear spells reached the next rank of mastery, which earned him the rise in soul power. He also found two new skills in the form of bow and spear mastery, both well on their way to their first boundary along with his sword skill which explained the four points¡¯ worth of increase in his deftness attribute.
{Bow mastery}
{The path of the bow is for those who seek to kill their enemy from afar instead of clashing with them head-on. Wield your bow with the finesse and mindset of a hunter. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 20 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 15/20}
{Deftness increase: 2}
{Harm addition: 4}
{Perks: firm grasp, keen eye}
The answer to his question about the increase of his soul attribute. He found that both his frost shield and his elemental spear spells reached the next rank of mastery, which earned him the rise in soul power. He also found two new skills in the form of bow and spear mastery, both well on their way to their first boundary along with his sword skill.
{Spear mastery}
{The path of the spear is well-walked by both hunters and warriors. Wield your spear with skill and strength, always aiming for your enemy¡¯s weak spots. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 18 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 13/20}
{Deftness increase: 1}
{Harm addition: 3}
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.{Perks: firm grasp}
{Sword mastery}
{The path of the sword is narrow and sharp, yet long and gruelling. Wield your blade with skill and determination. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 23 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 9/20}
{Deftness increase: 1}
{Harm addition: 3}
{Perks: firm grasp, firm stance}
Although none of his other skills increased to a point where they would warrant attention, Einar found that he had more than just the ¡®shielded mind¡¯ feat in his heraldry to look out for. He found two new feats and three of his older ones also changed for the better.
{Draconic hide 2}
{Your skin is naturally tougher thanks to your draconic heritage, granting you twenty points of passive damage resistance.}
{Draconic pride 2}
{Dragons are naturally prideful beasts, seeing themselves as the strongest creature in the world. Those who challenge their pride shall raise their ire, stoking the flames of rage that will soon become their undoing. When enraged, both your heart and might attributes will temporarily increase by five, burning away your vigour to fuel your carnage. Draconic pride lasts for five minutes. After it ends, you will be weakened for half an hour.}
{Fire resistance 2}
{Your awakened dragon blood grants you twenty points of passive fire resistance.}
It seemed that offering up the drake¡¯s remains to Elvine earned him a rise in his dragon bloodline-related feats, increasing any form of defence they bestowed by ten points. It was also easy to figure out the origin of his new feats.
{Draconic fertility}
{When in heat, all of the draconic races turn relentless in their effort to sire as many offspring as possible. Their fortitude and fertility are beyond that of other mythical creatures, only equalled by the legendary phoenix.}
{Promethean Flames 1}
{A spark of primordial flame now burns within you, empowering your own fire. Every fire-based attack will deal five points of added damage and your fire resistance gets increased by five as well.}
¡®This is¡ hmm.¡¯ Einar hummed to himself flustered as he read the description of his ¡®draconic fertility¡¯ feat. It sounded useful if he ever planned to get married and have children but it was of little use at the moment. Promethean Flames on the other hand was an outstanding feat that would grant him an additional means to get stronger. After checking the changes he decided to rummage through the star charts he had, deciding to spend four thousand of his valour to form his human ancestral stars. As he let his valour flow into the sheepskin scroll, his inner world shook and new stars came to life in the wast darkness above him. Golden words burned on the stone wall, Einar letting out a sigh as he read the words.
{Human Ancestral Blessing}
{Considered to be the most numerous and prosperous race to eke out a life on any land, humans are adaptive and hardy. The human¡¯s blessing permanently strengthens all attributes by one. It also increases the speed at which you master skills and spells by one-twentieth.}Although the increase was minimal, it happened to all of the attributes, making it a worthwhile investment in the seeker¡¯s opinion. With everything now settled, Einar left his inner world and after eating some rations, he lay down on his bedrolls to sleep. The morning came fast and loud, waking the seeker with a start as something crashed into the barricaded door of his shelter.
¡°This one seems to be locked,¡± a voice resounded from outside. ¡°It could be protecting some treasure.¡±
¡°It¡¯s protecting a sword you don¡¯t want to meet.¡± Einar said aloud, a surprised yelp coming from the other side.
¡°A draugr!¡±
¡°Your mother is a draugr!¡± The annoyed and groggy giant replied as he pushed aside the barricade, finding a sizeable group standing outside the shabby stone house.
¡°Einar!¡± He heard a familiar voice and a moment later he saw Arvid walk out of the crowd, followed by R¨²na and Brynhildr.
Not far behind them were two other groups gathering. One group was the people of the Falling Sun Empire, while the other group reminded him of Alcmene, making them the people of Hellada.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here,¡± Arvid noted. ¡°What were you doing in there?¡±
¡°Sleeping,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Until someone started banging on the door. What about you? What are you doing here and with Brynhildr of all people?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a long story, but the important part is that most of the Viking God-marked had already passed the first trial with about a third of them passing the second. We decided to move in one large group after the smaller ones got into fights with those giant wolves and bears you encountered before.¡±
¡°We did lose a dozen or so people to the second trial and a few more to the beasts though,¡± R¨²na remarked from the side as she walked closer, eyeing up the seeker. ¡°Are you all right? You seem... different.¡±
¡°I... a lot happened yesterday.¡± The giant answered after a tired sigh, signalling the others to wait for a moment while he went back inside the ancient stone hut to get his belongings.
¡°I imagine you have a lot to tell but first I¡¯ve got to ask,¡± R¨²na spoke again as she side-eyed the nearby stone structure. ¡°What¡¯s with those strange stairs? They give me the creeps.¡±
¡°That thing is the third trial.¡± Einar answered, the rest of the Vikings perking up as they heard him, some immediately walking towards the stairs.
¡°If you step on that thing you¡¯ll die,¡± the seeker said aloud, everyone stopping in their track. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like the previous two trials were.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± The forgemaiden asked with a worried tone as she watched the seeker sit down with his back against the wall.
Einar told them how he arrived and stepped on the first stone step. At first, they listened with unbridled curiosity that soon turned into horror as he reached the more horrid parts. By the end of it, some of them were white as flour.
¡°This... and we have to conquer such a thing?¡± One of the men stuttered as they all looked at the stone stairs as if they were looking death in the eye.¡°What is there to fear?¡± Brynhildr asked with a scoff. ¡°All you have to do is walk with your eyes forward. We are all warriors here so pain is a part of our lives. How do you want to become gods if you can¡¯t even conquer such a small illusion?¡±
¡°But...¡±
¡°But what?¡± she asked back with her head held high. ¡°We came here for glory and power. This is the price they ask for it.¡±
With that, Brynhildr turned around and walked over to the stone stairs. stepping on the first step. The seeker watched with a curious gaze as the same unseen force pushed the princess forward while the pale wall of mystical force rose around the structure. Everyone watched as she took step after step with a slow rhythm, making her way up to the top in about three or four minutes. When Brynhildr made her way up to the top, the mystical wall disappeared. She collapsed in front of the weathered altar, quietly sobbing as she shuddered like a leaf in the wind.
Book: 1 Ch. 33 The trial of the mind
¡°She made it,¡± Arvid let out a low whistle. ¡°Although she looks a bit worse for wear.¡±
¡°Can you blame her?¡± R¨²na chided from the side. ¡°Who knows what she went through just now?¡±
¡°What do you think, Einar?¡± The warrior asked back, earning a sigh from the young giant who was deep in thought.
¡°This trial must be something else that can make even someone like Brynhildr cry.¡± The forgemaiden remarked from the side.
¡°Want to go next?¡± Arvid asked with a smirk.
¡°After you.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± the youth sighed. ¡°Figured I would have to go first.¡±
They all watched as Brynhildr got back onto her feet, taking her reward before she walked back down, the torture she endured still visible on her pale white face. Some of the shieldmaidens came forth to help her walk aside, making her sit down as they gave her something to drink. Meanwhile, Arvid walked over to the stairs under the gaze of the terrified God-marked, giving a slight nod to a few of the women from Hellada before stepping on the first stone step. The young warrior walked up to the top in about two minutes, falling onto a half-kneeling position when he finished the trial.
¡°Damn, that hurt like... something that¡¯s really painful!¡± He said loudly, some of the God-marked from the three groups letting out a chuckle at his antics.
The warrior took his earnings and walked back down, large beads of sweat flowing down his face as he gave a nod to R¨²na.
¡°Good luck up there,¡± he said weakly before sitting down beside Einar, quickly wiping the tears from his eyes. ¡°You weren¡¯t joking when you said it was going to hurt like nothing before.¡±
¡°Why would I joke about something like that?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Arvid sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not the kind of man to tell jokes. Just... wake me up later.¡±
With that, the youth leaned his head toward Einar¡¯s shoulder, fainting a moment later. R¨²na too managed to conquer the trial, standing tall when she reached the top. After claiming her reward, she stumbled down the stairs and sat down beside Arvid.
¡°Damn the gods!¡± Was all she could say before she too passed out.
Einar watched in silence for a while as his fellow Vikings tried to conquer the third trial one after the other. He was curious about what would happen if someone failed, based on what he felt during his own trial but the sight of the first failure answered that. One of the men stopped barely a few steps up, his hands reaching out towards the side. When his fingers reached the edge of the stairs, an eerie pale green flame sparked on his fingertips, rushing across his body. He could barely let out a terrified scream before the ghastly flames consumed him, leaving nothing but a handful of ash behind. The frightened crowd watched as an invisible force blew the ash away before the barrier around the structure vanished.
¡°This pyramid is home to many aggrieved and vengeful spirits,¡± a dark-skinned woman from the other kingdoms remarked. ¡°That man¡¯s soul just now was torn away from him and chained to the trial ground like those before him.¡±
¡®A pyramid?¡¯ Einar thought to himself, finding no comfort in the foreign word that was likely the name of the strange structure.
¡°This trial will kill anyone whose mind and soul aren¡¯t strong enough to resist its illusions. I wish the Pharaoh would have let us train against such challenges before sending us here!¡±
¡°You dare question his decision,¡± another one of their group growled. ¡°The mighty Pharaoh does not need weak-willed fools to protect his kingdom. If he would let us train against such things, then this trial would have lost its very purpose.¡±
¡°Purpose? What purpose could it have besides killing us off for wanting to see our loved ones again, or hoping to grow in power?¡± A warrior of Hellada reasoned.
The argument went on for a while as the God-marked from the different kingdoms tried to conquer the trial. An hour later Einar finally felt it was enough and woke up his friends.
¡°Wha... oh, sorry.¡± R¨²na woke with a puzzled expression that soon turned into embarrassment.
¡°I¡¯ll be heading out now,¡± the seeker claimed. ¡°Could you watch over Arvid?¡±
¡°Sure.¡± The forgemaiden nodded as she watched the young giant covertly pull out a fruit from his pouch.
¡°Here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Eat this quickly!¡±
R¨²na accepted the fruit, devouring it in two bites. The scorching heat that followed made her groan in pain for a moment as her body stiffened and her mind cleared.
¡°What was that?¡± She asked as a few other God-marked turned toward her after sensing the change in the air.
¡°Just something I picked up after fighting a drake to the death.¡± Einar said with a smirk before leaving.
He took a few steps toward the forest before leaping up with a force that made the ground shudder. A puff of black mist later the seeker was already flying away in his raven form, trying to gain height so that he could see the land better. The ancient forest beneath him seemed to me brimming with life as he saw small packs of deer, wolves and the like run along beneath the sparser tree crowns. He landed in a small glade when his spiritual strength waned, using the small stream there to wash up before continuing on foot. Switching between walking and flying, the seeker finally reached the next true area of interest just before noon. It was a weathered and crumbling stone arena with an altar in the middle and four flat stone slabs at the edge of the four sides. As Einar stepped closer to the altar, another ghostly voice began to whisper into his mind.
¡°You can be strong yet you will die if you are foolish. You can be swift yet you cannot outrun your bad decisions. If your mind is not as sharp as your weapon, then you will be forced to face the consequences of your own foolishness.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
A moment of silence followed as the familiar mystical wall appeared around the arena to prevent him from leaving.
¡°The trial of the mind will challenge you to a deadly game of wits where each wrong answer will lead to a fearsome fight against foes that want your death. Think hard but think fast! If the sand runs out it will be considered as you not knowing the answer. Each question answered will earn you a reward, each failure will earn you a chance to meet death. Your trial shall start now.¡±
As the voice disappeared, glowing words came to life on the stone slabs at the edge of the arena. Einar let out a sigh as he walked over one of the stone slabs to examine it. It looked similar to the wall in his inner world, the faintly glowing embers on its searches forming words he could read. A pair of unlit braziers stood on both sides of the wall. ¡®At night we come without being fetched and by day we are lost without being stolen. We can draw, we can fall and we will forever stand above all. Who are we?¡¯ He read the words, his mind in disarray. The seeker re-read it twice before even noticing that the words were slowly fading from the wall, crumbling off of it like grains of sand.
¡°Damn!¡± he muttered what the final notice that the time was running out. ¡°I... you¡¯re the stars of the night sky!¡±
The young giant froze in place after blurting out the answer he came up with, hoping that he was right. A moment later golden flames burst to life in the braziers, a tiny mote of their fire splitting off to float over to the altar. ¡®I guess I was right.¡¯ Einar sighed relieved as he turned and headed toward the next wall piece. The second wall also had a spark of flame burning on it that began to write words on the stone as soon as he got close enough to read them.
¡®I am dark, but my birthplace is a radiant one. A flightless fowl, from the earth into the sky I soar. I bring forth tears, yet sorrow''s not the cause. My life, though brief, leaves watchers in awe. What could I be?¡¯ He read the next riddle, trying to find an answer for it. After a minute of silent thinking, the words faded from the wall and crimson flames burst to life in the brazier. Einar watched with dread as the flames spilt over the rusty metal basket and snaked across the floor. They pooled into dark red circles across the arena''s stones, clawed hands reaching out from the flames.
¡®Are those... wretches?¡¯ Einar stared at the creatures with a dumbstruck expression. They looked eerily similar to the netherworld wretches he fought before, but these had red flames coursing through their veins, lighting up their malformed bodies from the inside out. The creatures screamed with fire-choked voices that made him wince, the sword he drew shaking in his grasp as he tried not to look away from his enemies. The first fiery wretch lunged at him, swiping at him with red-hot claws. He swung the two-handed sword in a shallow arc to meet the clawed hands, cutting off the first one and lodging into the other.
Einar didn¡¯t stop for a moment as he stomped the creature in the guts, sending it flying backwards while yanking his blade free, only to swing at the second nearest monstrosity. One of the creatures managed to rake its claws across an unprotected part of his armour, leaving shallow white lines on Einar¡¯s skin. His strengthened draconic hide feat proved its worth in the fight and the seeker cleaved the wretch in half with a mighty swing. Soon, all three of his attackers were dead, their bodies burning away into nothingness.
Einar sighed and walked back to the stone wall where the glowing words appeared again, showing the same riddle. The giant read it again in hopes of finding an answer. He looked at the braziers where the red flame died out to give life to the glowing words, a faint smoke escaping the metal baskets. ¡®Smoke?¡¯ He thought to himself, enlightened by what he had seen.
¡°Are you... smoke?¡± The seeker asked from no one in particular.
A few seconds of silence later golden flames sparked in the braziers, a piece of them floating over to the altar. ¡®I guess it was accepted.¡¯ The youth thought relieved while walking over to the third stone slab where a new riddle lit up on the weathered wall. ¡®Great deeds with little strength I do, I close the open, open the closed for you. I keep the master¡¯s house, the master keeps me, too.¡¯ The riddle was strangely worded, yet it felt meaningful and the seeker had a few ideas for the answer. ¡®It could be a thrall or...¡¯ The moment he guessed, crimson flames burst into life in the braziers on the sides of the wall.
¡°Damn it!¡± He cursed at the flames that spilt from the braziers and snaked along the floor, summoning six of the fiery wretches.
These seemed a bit larger and tougher than the ones before. The first one got split in half before it even managed to stand up and the giant kicked another one away as well. Einar knew that something was changing in him these past days but seeing the wretched creature fly back like a half-filled mill sack made him shudder at the thought of his own might. This was not the strength of mortals. The relative ease with which he killed off his attackers made him realize that whatever he earned from killing the creatures of the island as well as the blessings of the Gods was indeed pushing him toward new heights of power.
His musings ended as the last of the wretches fell on the floor, burning into nothingness. Einar tried his best to shake off the strange thoughts of grandeur as he walked back to the stone wall where the riddle appeared again. He read it again but his thoughts returned to the same circle they followed before. Masters had servants and maybe...guards. The seeker accidentally muttered the word aloud, the blood-red flames returning in its wake with a dozen monsters. ¡®Harald¡¯s beard! I was just thinking!¡¯ The seeker complained inwardly as the flame-wrought wretches returned, this time holding weapons of their own.
They held age-old daggers and short swords that glowed at the edge of the monsters¡¯ fires. Einar managed to kill off two of the creatures before having to summon his frost shield to protect himself from the red-hot dagger that was swung toward his face. The tip of the blade drew a hissing line on the shield''s surface where it melted. The weapons of his enemies are more dangerous than he thought them to be, forcing the giant to fight with an increased sense of caution.
Even with increased strength and agility, he failed to block a few attacks that left scorched cuts on his skin or slight burn marks on his armour. When the last of the creatures fell, Einar shook off the battle rush that surged through him, before walking back to the stone wall. With his head clearing up, the riddle felt different as well, his thoughts stopping on several possible answers before the pieces of the riddle finally made sense to him. ¡®The master keeps something and through that, they can open and close doors. What kind of a fool am I to not realize it sooner?¡¯ He scolded himself as he took a deep breath.
¡°A key.¡± He said firmly and golden flames flickered to life in the braziers a moment later.
Thinking back on how he failed the riddle twice made Einar feel embarrassed but the sight of the golden flame floating toward the altar made all of it worth it. Now, he was only one riddle away from fully conquering the trial. He could have walked over to the altar to claim his earnings now, but he was far too stubborn to give up on a chance of something valuable just because he might have to fight a couple of wretches for it. The final wall piece showed the last riddle which he read slowly and carefully.
¡®What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night?¡¯ The seeker read it again, his mind in utter chaos. ¡®What kind of question is that?¡¯ He fumed with anger. Animals didn¡¯t just grow or lose legs on a whim. That much even he knew. His angry pondering was interrupted when the words on the wall faded and the braziers lit up with red flames.
¡®Damn you all!¡¯ He cursed inside as he rushed forward, hacking apart the nearest wretch that climbed out of the fires that spread across the arena¡¯s floor.
Book: 1 Chapter 34 Meeting the demon
The fiery wretches in front of Einar wore ancient and broken armour, wielding axes, spears and swords. They all rushed toward him, glowing-tipped spears cutting through the air and piercing halfway through his ice shield that began to melt apart. He willed his own sword to enlarge to its full size, swinging it in a wide arc to destroy the spears. Einar swung low to maim his enemies, a furious flame appearing on his own weapon to fight the fire his enemies wielded. The edge of an axe managed to lodge itself between two of his armour pieces, cutting and scorching his flesh near his side.
The giant roared in anger as his ¡®draconic pride¡¯ awoke, raw fury and power filling him as he tore his enemies apart with both sword and bare hand. As the rage passed and his mind cleared, Einar found himself standing alone in the arena once more, the remains of his enemies turning into ash that drifted away. He let out a deep and heated breath before heading back toward the riddle on the wall with his sword still in his hand. ¡®You might be gods but you can''t expect people to just... people?¡¯ His inner reprimanding was halted as his mind grabbed onto the word.
¡°People.¡± He said out loud as the thought finally settled in his mind and a bright golden fire awakened in the braziers.
With the fourth riddle solved and the fourth piece of flame floating over to the altar, the seeker felt a weight fall from his chest. He did it. Although the thought behind the word was vague, it seemed like the Gods understood what he meant. Shambling over to the altar, Einar found a head-sized floating blue cloud, which he ushered toward his out-held drinking horn. As the cloud rained into the horn, the seeker drank it out, his wounds healing as his mind sharpened beyond what it was before. He could feel that his thoughts were just a bit clearer and faster.
The altar had several items, the first being a small pile of gold coins. The young giant threw the coins into his pouch before taking a closer look at the remaining rewards. One of them was a rune stone with an unfamiliar symbol. There was also a strange glass bauble the size of his thumb with sand in it that trickled down from one half of the item to the other one. The last reward was yet another scroll. As he unfurled it, Einar found himself looking at a runic symbol that was surrounded by several lines of description.
He wasn¡¯t a craftsman himself but from what he understood, this scroll was meant to explain the making of a specific rune with the power to further refine talismans, making them draw a bit less spiritual strength than before. ¡®R¨²na might be able to use this to strengthen my talismans later.¡¯ He thought as he put away the scroll before sitting down to meditate in the safety of the trial ground. Once he entered his inner world, Einar soon found the small sand and glass bauble on his own altar. Focusing on the thing, he could see golden words form above it.
{Hourglass of the Mind}
{Lesser Divine Relic}
{The ancient sages created this small hourglass to help them keep the time in mind as they delved into their studies. It bestowed the ''mental mastery'' feat on its owner.}
Reading the words made the seeker frown for a moment, but as he held the hourglass, a new indent appeared on the stone wall behind his altar. He socketed in the hourglass and glowing words appeared on the wall.
{Mental Mastery}
{Time flows constantly but some can slow or hasten it to some extent. Those who master their mind often feel like their thoughts move faster than the world around them. Mental mastery allows one to control their thoughts and make decisions in a split second if needed.}
As usual, the description was vague, leaving much up for him to interpret it. Putting the matter aside, he checked up on his heraldry as well and found out that his mind attribute rose by three and his divinity by one. As expected. Another important change was that his sword mastery reached the point where he would have to choose a path for it.
{Sword mastery}{Specialization pending}
{The path of the sword is narrow and sharp, yet long and gruelling. Wield your blade with skill and determination. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
{Rank: 25 (beginner)}
{Rank progression: 20/20}
{Deftness increase: 2}
{Harm addition: 5}
{Perks: firm grasp, firm stance}
Two new descriptions appeared as he willed himself to see the possible paths blades.
{River Snake Sword Path}
{River snakes glide on the water with quick and precise movements. Those who follow the path of the river snake similarly move fast and dextrous with their sword. The perfect choice for those favouring one-handed blades.}
{Mountain Bear Sword Path}
{Mountain bears might not be the fastest of animals, but they might more than make up for it. Those that follow the path of the mountain bear are willing to sacrifice fast movements in favour of heavy ones, rending forests and cleaving mountains apart with each strike. The perfect choice for two-handed blades.}
It was a hard decision to make as Einar tended to use both the one and two-handed forms of his sword. Reflecting on his previous fights however made him realize that he leaned a lot more toward wielding his weapon in its full-length form, making use of his already fearsome strength. In the end, he chose the path of the mountain bear, and the description of his sword mastery changed with it.
{Mountain bear sword mastery}
{The path of the sword is narrow and sharp, yet long and gruelling. Wield your blade with skill and determination. Those who wield their sword like a mountain bear swings its paws will rend the world apart if need be. Every fifth rank increases the harm you cause with your weapon by 1. Every tenth rank increases your deftness by 1, might by 2 and grants a minor perk. Every twenty-fifth rank allows you to choose a specialization.}
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.{Rank: 26}
{Rank progression: 01/30}
{Deftness increase: 2}
{Might increase:}
{Harm addition: 5}
{Perks: firm grasp, firm stance}
{Specialization: mountain bear style}
With the choice made, Einar left his inner world and turned into his raven form to fly away. From high above the forest he could see a vast expanse of trees with a few distant meadows and the old path snaking its way across the land. Ahead of him loomed the second mountain, still days away if he''d rely only on walking as a human. The seeker flew forward as fast as he could, trying to make the most of his short time as a winged creature. Hours went by switching between his human and raven forms before he reached the first small dale that anything truly worth his time besides the usual groups of smaller wolves and elk.
Since his fight with the giant bear, Einar hasn''t seen any of the large beasts along his travel. The clearing he reached held one such wolf. He landed at the edge of the clearing, returning to his human form and unsheathed his sword. The young giant began to walk toward the wolf that was in the middle of drinking from a small steam with its pack of four smaller wolves. One of the smaller animals noticed him approaching and the pack leader raised its head to look at him as well. The wolf let out a low growl as it began to walk toward Einar with its fangs showing.
The two got closer to each other and the wolf began to sidesway him, lowering itself for a moment before it lunged toward the seeker. Einar watched as the beast pushed off the ground with its maw open. Then it happened. As he gripped his sword¡¯s hilt, he felt as if time itself began to slow down around him. It wasn¡¯t by much, maybe a fifth or so, but he still noticed the change. The wolf soared through the air toward its prey that stepped to the left. The giant swung his sword low with all of his strength, its blade glowing up for a moment before it met the large wolf¡¯s neck.
A moment later the beast landed with its head snapped back, barely attached to its body as Einar¡¯s sword cut more than two-thirds into its flesh, almost completely beheading it. The wolf collapsed on the ground, twitching and bleeding out as its pack rushed toward the giant. He swatted the first of the smaller wolves aside with the flat side of his sword before stomping the second in the snout, a sickening crunch resounding as the beast¡¯s skull shattered. The rest of the beasts had no chance either as the seeker¡¯s seemingly slow yet terrifying swings cleaved them apart.
A minute after the fight started, there were only corpses left around the slightly huffing giant as he wiped his sword on the fur of one of the dead wolves. He held out his drinking corn towards the large corpse, its blood turning into a mist that formed a tiny cloud which flew toward the horn. The seeker drank whatever the bloody cloud rained into his horn and began to look for the glowing mark on its fur. It turned out to be the same mark that would become a swiftness rune under R¨²na¡¯s power.
Not wanting to waste his world eater pouch¡¯s space with the whole corpse, the giant pulled out his seax and skinned the part of the hide from the carcass with the glowing lines on it. He scraped the excess flesh and fat off before shoving the hide piece into his pouch. Other than that the glade had nothing else of interest to him, so he left. Einar spent several more hours travelling through the forest before he reached the ruins of what seemed to be a small outpost. It had walls made of hardened and overgrown dirt with rotten wood poles lined up to hold the packed soil wall.
Behind the wall had found a few rundown buildings, some housing an angry draugr or two which he destroyed without mercy. The main building of the outpost had stone walls and an inner space similar in size to his old home, except this one had a few draugr soldiers inside. Once he cleared the ancient dead out, the giant began to look for firewood to light up the cobweb-covered fireplace in preparation for the fast-approaching night. He barricaded the door and windows as best as he could after drawing up some water from a broken well, using the water to wash off the dirt and blood from himself.
A meagre dinner later the seeker laid out his bedroll near the fire and fell asleep with his weapon in hand. When morning came the young giant packed up his things and left the round-down house, taking flight in his raven form to see his next goal. The forest seemed vast and the nearest clearing was hours away. He switched between flying and walking, sometimes stopping to fight with a beast or two in hopes of gaining a new rune. Two more glowing fur patches later he got closer to a meadow, and the scent of blood drifted towards him.
Some movement could be seen below him as he noticed some ruins that were laid out similarly to the previous proving grounds. The bloody scent came from the fighting that took place at the edge of the clearing. Einar recognised the armour of those fighting, a clear sign of them hailing from the Falling Sun Empire. ¡®How did they get here before me and why are they fighting each other?¡¯ The seeker thought to himself as he watched one of the warriors, a hulking large figure wearing a half mask send another man flying using a giant spiked club.
Seeing this, Einar couldn¡¯t help but stop to hover just above the trees. ¡®How is he not getting struck by lightning for shedding God-marked blood?¡¯ Was the question that came to his mind as he watched the empire¡¯s giant crush the other three with a savage growl. The fight was over in a minute, leaving only the spiked club wielding warrior standing. As if it was able to sense his presence, the warrior looked up at the seeker and threw a knife toward it. The blade cut through the air, hitting Einar in his left wing when he tried to dodge.
He fell from the sky, barely gliding lower before he returned to his human form, crashing into the ground. The youth rolled on the ground, trying to stand up as the warrior walked toward him with lumbering steps. The spiked club rose into the air as the warrior prepared to take a swing at the injured seeker but he rolled to the side, right hand clutching the bleeding wound on his left.
¡°Who are¡¡± He tried to ask but the stranger from the Falling Sun Empire kept growling at the seeker as he attacked with the club, forcing Einar to back away.
He summoned his ice shield but it barely lasted for a second when it got struck by the club. It shattered and the top of the weapon hit the giant in the shoulder, piercing his armour and skin alike before knocking him aside. The pain made Einar see red as his hair flared with dark red fire, the youth stopping in his tracks before rushing at the enemy. The two bodies collided and the stranger slid back a few steps before coming to a halt, but it was the seeker that ended up worse as his already injured shoulder hit the hard armoured body.
Looking up, he found himself staring at a pair of blood-red eyes. The man growled at him and took a heavy step forward, making the seeker stumble back once again. It prepared to take a swing at him again but Einar was faster and summoned a fire spear which he stabbed forward with, impaling his attacker in the chest.
Book: 1 Ch. 35 The trial of heart
Einar could see the tip of the fire spear slowly burning through the armour but when it reached flesh, the spear¡¯s tip stopped as a foul-smelling black mist fumed out from the wound. The stranger roared as it grabbed the burning spear with its bare hand, yanking it aside before taking a swing at Einar. He dodged the attack half-stumbling as he backed away, staring at the thing in front of him.
¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯s a human.¡¯ He thought to himself, dodging another wide swing from the enraged enemy that seemed to have matched him in height yet bested him in both strength and fortitude. A last-ditch idea came to his mind as he noticed the weathered altar not far from him in the clearing. Dodging attack after attack he tried to make his way toward the altar and smeared his blood on its surface when he got close enough. The moment his blood touched the altar, a wave of invisible force burst out of the ancient stone and knocked the club-wielding stranger outside of the boundary of the proving ground.
Einar let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he was holding. The warrior on the other side of the barrier returned to its feet after being thrown out by the mystical force. The half mask that covered its face from the neck up to its eyes was now gone, revealing a pale and squarish face. What shocked Einar the most was the thing¡¯s mouth. If at first, he could have mistaken it for a tall man, now he knew better. Even from a distance, he could see several rows of razor-sharp teeth in his attacker¡¯s mouth as it roared and swung its club at the barrier several times before a bolt of crimson lightning struck down from the sky.
It hit the stranger, engulfing it in flames for a few seconds, but contrary to the seeker¡¯s expectation, the thing didn¡¯t turn to ash. Burned and smoking, the stranger stumbled back, wailing like a wounded animal before it turned around to flee into the forest.
¡°What in Harald¡¯s name was that?¡± He asked aloud, earning no answer as a whisper resounded in his mind to explain his next trial while he used his drinking horn¡¯s power to heal his wounds.
¡°A warrior''s heart must beat ferociously, giving him the strength to go on no matter what foe they face. This trial will test your resilience and your body¡¯s capability to persevere. Stand in the grey circle to begin your trial and walk through the path of thorns. Stopping at the bronze or silver circles will allow you to end the trial early, granting you a portion of the reward you could earn.¡±
Listening to the harsh and demanding whispers. Einar walked over to the faintly glowing grey circle at the edge of the proving ground. When he stepped on it, he could see large weeds grow out from beneath the dusty stone tiles on the ground. Ahead of him a bronze, silver and a gold circle appeared at equal distances from each other with the gold one being barely a few steps away from the ancient altar.
¡°The trial of the heart shall begin now!¡± The voice returned to announce the start of his new ordeal, prompting the young giant to take a step forward.
As he did, one of the newly grown weeds lashed out toward him, leaving a small cut on his leg as it cut through his pants. ''Damn!'' He growled as he felt the sting of the cut, wondering how strong the plant had to be, given his draconic hide feat. Einar felt as if unseen chains bound him, forcing him to move ahead with slow steps. At each step, more and more of the barbed weeds and thorny plants lashed out at him, making him bleed from several small cuts that bled profusely.
Soon, his pants got shredded and soaked red as he kept on walking, faint light-headedness starting to hinder him as he reached the glowing bronze circle. Two steps after he left behind the bronze circle, the thorny and barbed weeds began to lash out at him with a greater speed, aiming higher to cut him along the unprotected parts of his arms. Each step became heavier as he pushed forward, the plants wrapping around his limbs to set him off his blood. They strained and snapped when the young giant moved, but his eyes became blurred at the edge of his vision, snaking inward as the world began fading.
Einar didn¡¯t even notice that he had pushed past the silver circle his eyes looked forward. ¡®Just keep walking!¡¯ Was the only thought in the mind of the blood-soaked seeker, darkness threatening to overtake him before a burst of warmth cleared his mind a bit. Looking around to find a source of his newfound strength, he noticed that he was standing in the golden circle of the trial.
¡®I... did it?¡¯ Einar looked puzzled, wondering how he had managed to reach the end of the trial without even realizing it. Looking down at himself, he found that although his countless wounds had stopped bleeding, they were still there. In front of him was the altar, which had several items on it and a small blood-red cloud floating above it. He pulled out his drinking corn from his pouch and held it out toward the red cloud, patiently waiting for it to feel the horn with crimson nectar.
The seeker drank it all and felt a welcome heat spread across his body as his wounds healed without leaving any trace. With his injuries gone, the giant let out a relieved breath before examining his rewards. The familiar handful of gold coins greeted him first, followed by a granite rune stone with an unfamiliar symbol. His third reward was a scroll that held... a recipe? Einar felt puzzled as he looked at the scroll that spoke of a brew that could heal wounds and mend broken bones. It could have been invaluable to others but he had the God-blessed drinking horn that could do the same.
Since the forest was littered with healing herbs, he wasn¡¯t lacking in healing nectar either. Still, he put away the scroll, thinking that the others might be able to make use of it. His last reward was the strangest, a near fist-sized thing he recognised to be a glass figurine shaped like a living beast¡¯s heart. It had a blood-red liquid inside with a few small bubbles. ¡®It¡¯s most likely another relic.¡¯ He thought as he put it away, not wanting to waste time with it.
Looking around, Einar saw that the barrier surrounding the trial ground began to fade which made him instinctively grab his sword but the human-shaped thing he fought didn¡¯t show up. Still wary of the threat, Einar slowly walked over to the edge of the proving ground, planning to check the corpses. As he got close enough, he noticed the half-mask of his foe lying on the ground. The seeker picked it up and examined it, one of its straps showing signs of snapping.
The bodies of the warriors from the Fallen Sun Empire lay on the ground, their blood making the ground red around them. Their weapons were of decent quality and so was their armour but the young giant refused to take any of them. ¡®I didn¡¯t fight them and I didn¡¯t earn those spoils. If I offer these to the gods they will punish me for robbing them instead of showing my respect to the fallen.¡¯ He thought, sighing at the strange ways of his people and Gods.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
It was fine to take the belongings of the enemy he killed or those long dead, but taking the arms and armour of those killed by another counted as a dishonourable deed. Honour was a strange thing amongst the Vikings. Searching the corpses revealed little value as they held a couple of silver coins with square holes in them. They barely amounted to a dozen coins, making the youth shake his head.
¡®These bodies should be returned to their people but they will notice if I take the coins. Still, I should warn the others and everyone I can of that... thing.¡¯ Einar decided as he sheathed the fallen warriors¡¯ weapons and put their bodies in his world eater pouch. With everything done, the seeker leapt high in the air and turned into his raven form, heading back toward the previous proving ground.
A few hours later he reached the ruined village he previously spent the night at, finding it quite lively as it was filled with the God-marked of the different kingdoms. Even from a distance, he could make out the tell-tale signs of the identity of the people, one group being from his own homeland, another from Hellada and the third the Falling Sun Empire. As he flew closer, he heard someone yell something about a strange bird while raising their bow, but the Vikings stopped the archer. Einar muttered a silent word of thanks in his mind as he descended from the air and turned back into his human form.
¡°Well met, seeker!¡± One of the Vikings greeted him, while the people from the other kingdoms eyed him up curiously.
¡°Einar!¡± A familiar voice called out to him from his left side, Alcmene, the warrior from Hellada walking closer.
¡°Do you know this man?¡± A warrior wearing ornate armour asked and the woman gave a firm nod.
¡°He¡¯s the warrior I told you about before. The one I fought alongside against the drake.¡±
¡°I see,¡± the man nodded before turning toward the seeker. ¡°In that case, I must thank you for helping Alcmene! She¡¯s an excellent huntress and one of our best Spartans but she mostly hunts alone and trouble tends to find her far too often.¡±
¡°Spartans?¡± The young giant asked back puzzled as he heard the word.
¡°It¡¯s a title,¡± the warrior explained. ¡°Given to those who prove themselves before the king to be outstanding warriors. We have about two dozen of them with us and every one of them is important.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Einar nodded. ¡°She is indeed a mighty warrior. And fearless too. She fought against that drake with nothing but her shield, spear and raw power. It was a fight worthy of tales.¡±
¡°That I believe,¡± the man said with a proud smile. ¡°The trophies and materials she brought back are proof enough.¡±
¡°Still,¡± Alcmene sighed. ¡°I imagined you¡¯d be gone for good, exploring the island in search of the other trials.¡±
¡°I was,¡± the seeker said with a heavy voice. ¡°I managed to find and conquer the fourth trial but when I reached the fifth, I was attacked.¡±
¡°Attacked,¡± one of the Vikings asked, surprised by the thought that even the mighty chosen of Harald would get attacked out there. ¡°By who or what?¡±
¡°It was someone or rather something from the Falling Sun Empire.¡±
¡°Impossible,¡± one of the Empire¡¯s warriors argued. ¡°Lord Takeshi gave an order for everyone to not seek any fights with the red-haired giant.¡±
¡°It didn¡¯t attack me first,¡± he explained as he began to remove the corpses from his world eater pouch. The strange sight made many gasp in surprise.
¡°Those...¡± The man tried to speak, but Einar raised his hand to stop him.
¡°I don¡¯t know how or why it happened,¡± he began. ¡°By the time I arrived, two were already dead and the last one was fighting for his life. His opponent was as tall as me if not a bit taller and wore your people¡¯s armour. He wielded a large two-handed club that was lined with spikes.¡±
As he spoke, he laid out the three fallen warriors, letting the people of the empire take them.
¡°After killing the last warrior, it threw a dagger at me and I fell from the sky due to my wing getting hit. I turned back to my true form and we fought but it was stronger than me. If not for the barrier of the proving ground I activated with my blood, it would have likely managed to kill me.¡±
¡°That...¡±
¡°It wore this,¡± he handed over the half-mask. ¡°The mask came off when the barrier threw it out of the proving ground. When it stood up and looked at me, I saw... rows of teeth glinting in its mouth as if I was staring at a shark. Whatever it is, it¡¯s no longer human.¡±
¡°An Oni.¡± The young giant heard a gentle voice as a strange young woman made her way toward them, the crowd of warriors opening up to make way for her.
She walked closer to take a look at the mask, wiping some of the dried blood off of its inner side. Einar was somewhat baffled by the woman¡¯s looks. It was the first time he saw anyone having animal ears or a tail. Hers reminded him of a fox.
¡°You are right,¡± she said with a saddened tone. ¡°This mask belonged to a warrior named Katashi. Your description also fits him well.¡±
¡°Katashi,¡± the others looked at each other. ¡°But he would never do such a thing. He was always a calm and firm warrior.¡±
Einar watched as she smeared the dried blood between her fingers, a pale blue flame sparking on her fingertips that soon turned into a mixture of red and black for a few seconds before dying out.
¡°Perhaps, but he was still the descendant of an Oni. You all know that these islands empower those with ancient bloodlines. It seems Katashi failed to hold control over his own. Even if he was human once, the blood of his ancestor seems to have overwhelmed him, turning him into a true Oni.¡±¡°Is that why the gods didn¡¯t stop him?¡± Einar asked, trying not to stare at the woman¡¯s fox ears.
¡°Most likely,¡± she nodded in agreement. ¡°The truce of the gods prevents humans from harming each other on the first island. However, if Katashi truly became an Oni, then the gods could no longer see him and likely felt that the others were simply killed off by a beast.¡±
¡°If Katashi turned into a monster,¡± one of the warriors spoke with a shaky voice. ¡°Then we must head back to the others. Lord Takeshi must be warned.¡±
¡°We had already come this far,¡± another argued. ¡°Turning back when the fifth trial is so close would be foolish.¡±
¡°We can all send back someone,¡± the leader of the God-marked from Hellada spoke. ¡°Two warriors from each kingdom should form a group. Even if they meet with this... Oni of yours, half of the group could impede the monster while the others got away.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 36 Progress and ancestral blessings
¡°That should work.¡± The leader of the Vikings agreed and the people from the empire also nodded at the suggestion.
¡°What about you,¡± the fox-eared woman asked from Einar. ¡°Will you head out again, dragon?¡±
¡°Einar,¡± he said with a firm tone. ¡°My name¡¯s Einar.¡±
¡°Apologies, Einar. I am...¡±
¡°My lady,¡± a warrior stepped protectively beside the woman. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to...¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Rokuro. He can¡¯t hurt any of us on the first island and besides. Einar was honourable enough to come back and warn us of Katashi, even though he could have just continued his journey without looking back.¡±
¡°I... I understand, my lady.¡± The leather armour-clad warrior stepped back.
¡°Please, forgive Rokuro,¡± she asked with a calm voice. ¡°He takes his duty of protecting me very seriously.¡±
¡°Understandable,¡± the seeker nodded. ¡°These lands are dangerous enough with all the beasts and draugr, let alone that... thing out there.¡±
¡°True. Still, allow me to introduce myself. I am Hanako of Clan Huxian and as you must have noticed, I carry the blood of the kitsune.¡±
¡°It means fox spirit.¡± Rokuro added when Einar didn¡¯t reply immediately to the introduction.
¡°Rokuro,¡± the woman chided. ¡°I¡¯m sure he understood what it meant by looking at me.¡±
¡°Oh. I...¡±
Einar couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he watched the two squabble, reminding him of Arvid and R¨²na.
¡°Do you know where R¨²na Fireforge is?¡± The seeker turned toward the Vikings, earning a nod from them.
¡°She was still waiting for her turn at the fourth trial the last time we saw them. If she¡¯s not there then she¡¯s likely on her way here.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± he said before turning toward the old path leading back to the previous trial. ¡°I should get going then. Be on your guard.¡±
With that, the young giant leapt high in the air and turned into his raven form before flying away. A good hour and a half later he noticed a large group walking along the path and as he flew lower, he noticed a few familiar faces. Princess Brynhildr led two dozen or so Vikings, followed by a similar-sized group of Eastern Alliance warriors and a small group of people from the Desert Kingdom. He flew lower, catching their attention as he landed and turned back into his human form.
¡°Einar!¡± He could immediately hear someone called out to him, Arvid stepping out of the small crowd with R¨²na following him. ¡°Did you miss us so much that you came flying back to visit?¡±
¡°You could say that,¡± he let out a sigh as he walked closer, Brynhildr giving him a displeased look but staying quiet for the moment. ¡°Something happened at the fifth proving ground and I decided to come back to warn everyone.¡±
After that, the giant spent some time explaining his fight with the Oni and his meeting with the others at the ruined village. By the time he finished, everyone seemed to be on edge, their grips tightening on their weapons as they looked at the forest around them.
¡°This is troublesome news,¡± R¨²na said disheartened. ¡°We were making a good time even with all the beasts coming at us but this Oni of yours sounds like a greater threat than anything we¡¯ve met before.¡±
¡°Bah,¡± someone from the back scoffed as one of the Vikings spat on the ground. ¡°Some chosen you are. Harald must have been drunk on divine honey mead or something when he chose you. You couldn¡¯t even kill some crazed idiot.¡±
¡°Weren¡¯t you listening to what he just said?¡± Brynhildr spoke with an irritated tone, her eyes glowing with a spark of anger. ¡°That... thing got struck by a lightning of the Gods and survived with barely any injuries while others turned to ash in a second. Harald¡¯s chosen or not, he¡¯s still a mortal like the rest of us.¡±
¡°I¡¯m more worried about the fact that this Katashi could best Einar without any trouble,¡± Arvid spoke from the side. ¡°I mean... just look at him. He¡¯s likely strong enough now to wring the neck of those giant bears and that... thing is stronger than him? How are we supposed to stop something like that?¡±
¡°The same way you fight any other beast,¡± a man from the Eastern Alliance said. ¡°Surround it and overwhelm it until it¡¯s dead.¡±
¡°Agreed,¡± a warrior from the Desert Kingdom spoke as he raised his spear high. ¡°Even if it¡¯s as strong as ten bears, if it bleeds, it can die.¡±
¡°And how many people will die before we manage to overwhelm it? Ten? Fifty?¡± Brynhildr joined in with her question.
While the leaders of the three groups argued over the matter of Katashi, the seeker pulled Arvid and R¨²na aside. They waited patiently for him to say what he wanted, but the giant instead just pulled out several pieces of raw hides with glowing lines on them along with the rune stones he earned from the trials.
¡°I see you¡¯ve been busy,¡± R¨²na said with a smirk as she examined the hides. ¡°I can recognise some of these but I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±
The forgemaiden began to draw out the power of the divine markings into some blank rune stones, examining them closely before turning her attention to the ones from the trials. A few minutes later she let out a sigh.
¡°These are the same bleeding and swiftness runes you already have. Out of the new ones, only those you got from the trials would be of use to you.¡±
¡°Why?¡± The seeker asked surprised, the woman pointing at the runes she got from the hides.
¡°There¡¯s one here that¡¯s similar to your sword¡¯s cleaving rune, but it¡¯s meant for crushing things, so it would only work on blunt weapons. Another one is for... having an enhanced sense of smell, but you can only put it on a helmet.¡±
¡°And the ones from the trial?¡±
¡°One of them could lessen the strain spells would have on your mind while the other one would... increase the potency of healing. I don¡¯t really understand that one. The one with the mental strain is meant for helmets, so...¡±
¡°Would it work for a headband?¡± Einar asked as he pulled out the sheepskin he got as his reward from the trial of the mind.
R¨²na took the skin and examined it, her eyes widening as she realized its value. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Where did you get this?¡± She asked excitedly.
¡°From the fourth trial.¡±
¡°The same with the rune, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°That explains it,¡± she said with her eyes still glued to the drawings. ¡°The two would fit perfectly together.¡±
¡°Can you craft it?¡± The seeker asked the important question.
¡°Not now,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I would need a proper workshop to do that and we haven¡¯t found any along the way. Once we do though, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Einar sighed as he pulled out the other scroll and handed it over to her. ¡°I don¡¯t have a use for this but you might know someone who can use it.¡±
¡°This is... a healing brew recipe? I¡¯ve even seen some of the herbs it describes on the way here.¡±
¡°A healing brew,¡± Arvid stepped closer to have a better look at the recipe. ¡°Good. I could use some of that and I seem to recall that one of Brynhildr¡¯s people has some experience with brewing. I¡¯ll ask around.¡±
¡°You do that,¡± the seeker agreed as he pulled out his drinking horn from his pouch. ¡°As for you, R¨²na, do you think you can fuse that healing rune into my horn?¡±
¡°Your horn?¡± The woman looked at him puzzled after hearing his question.
¡°It¡¯s a god-blessed horn that can create healing nectar if I feed it herbs.¡±
¡°I see,¡± she hummed as she examined the horn. ¡°And the rune could strengthen its effects. Yes, that should work. What about the others?¡±
¡°I have no use of the rest, other than the one that would help with magic, but I¡¯d need that headband first.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± R¨²na nodded as she handed back the rune stone to him. ¡°I¡¯ll take the one that empowers blunt weapons as my payment and I¡¯ll try to trade the rest for you.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Einar agreed and the forgemaiden stepped aside, summoning her fiery hammer to infuse the drinking horn with its first rune.
A few moments later, she handed it back, revealing a small glowing symbol that told the seeker his horn was now more powerful.
¡°So what are you going to do now?¡± Arvid asked, earning a small sigh from the young giant.
¡°I plan to continue searching for the other proving grounds, but I¡¯ll have to be more careful now with Katashi out there.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll continue our journey toward the fifth trial,¡± R¨²na claimed. ¡°Although we¡¯ll likely meet up with the others first.¡±
¡°That would be wise.¡± The seeker agreed, taking a few steps to the side to give himself enough space to take off.
¡°Take care of yourself, Einar and don¡¯t forget to come back in a few days. We might have found a proper forge by that time.¡±
¡°Sure.¡± He nodded before leaping high in the air, the ground cracking beneath his feet.
The seeker turned into his raven form in a puff of black mist before flying higher, his gaze turned toward the direction of the fifth proving ground. Hours later when he finally passed by, he noticed a small group made up from the different kingdoms¡¯ God-marked trying their best to conquer the trial. The sun was already hanging low when the seeker decided to find shelter for the night, taking refuge in a small cave near a rocky patch of the forest after fighting the wolf that owned it. Luckily, the night passed undisturbed as Einar entered his inner realm to see the results of his recent conquest. Stepping closer to the altar he found the glass heart lying on the side. He grabbed it and focused on it, prompting the arrival of glowing words on the stone wall in front of him.
{Crystal Troll Heart}
{Lesser Divine Relic}
{A great shaman and artisan crafted this quartz heart to hold the lifeblood of a mighty troll. It will grant you the ¡®Troll¡¯s Heart¡¯ feat while also permanently increasing your heart attribute by one.}
A new hole formed on the side of the stone slab just above the previous relic and the young giant placed the crystal heart into it. The moment he did, his inner world shuddered as he heard the roar of a beast in the distant darkness. Glowing words appeared on the wall, their meaning weighing heavy on the youth.
{Troll¡¯s Heart}
{Trolls might not be the smartest creatures in the world but their resilience and strength more than make up for it. Those with the troll''s heart feat can sacrifice their spiritual strength to call on its power, allowing their bodies to rapidly heal from injuries. The trade-off is five to one and this feat can only be used once every hour.}
Einar stared at the glowing words slack-jawed, trying to fully comprehend their true weight. If he understood it right, he could sacrifice five motes of his spiritual strength to heal himself for a single mote of health. Just like that, without any healing nectars or prayers or whatnot. That was a huge boon to any warrior, let alone one fighting as recklessly as him. Touching the first stone figurine he called upon his heraldry to see the changes, letting out a sigh as he silently read the words.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 7350}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: known by a few}
{Attributes}
? Charm:14
? Deftness: 25
? Divinity: 13
? Grit: 21
? Heart; 34
? Luck: 15
? Might: 34
? Mind: 19
? Soul: 25
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
109/162/113
The changes in his attributes were obvious and conquering the two trials and defeating the beasts of the forest had earned him enough valour that he could gain another ancestral constellation. Einar decided to pick the scroll with the frost giant this time, spending four thousand valour to fill it with life. His inner world shook as new stars lit up in the distant void above him while golden words appeared on the stone wall.
{Frost Giant Ancestral Blessing}
{The frost giants or J?tnar are considered to be the ruling race of the ancient frozen realm of Niflheim. Their blessing permanently strengthens your heart, might and mind attributes by three. It also strengthens any frost giant related feat.}
And it did. When Einar checked his heraldry once more, the three attributes mentioned by his ancestry indeed increased by three. Taking a look at his feats, the seeker found that his frost resistance had increased in rank and he also seemed to have earned a new frost giant inheritance.
{Frost resistance 2}
{Your awakened frost giant blood grants you twenty points of passive frost resistance.}The inheritance was an in-born magic ability he awakened through this blood and the ancestral blessing.
{Frozen Wastes}
{The J?tnar carry the power of the ice in their heart, in their veins and in every breath they take or expel. Take a deep breath and release it in a powerful wave of frozen wind to freeze everything around you. Each level in mastery strengthens your soul by 1. Every two points¡¯ worth of soul increases the spell¡¯s power by 1.}
{Spell type: elemental}
{Spirit cost: 20}
{Frost damage: 35}
{Casting time: 2 seconds}
{Spell mastery: 0/20}
{Mastery progression: 0/10}
This¡ this will be useful.¡¯ The seeker thought to himself as he read the spell¡¯s description. With nothing else left to do, the seeker left his inner world and went to sleep. Einar wasn¡¯t one for nightmares, but the events of the past few days have left their mark on his mind, dreams of that horrid Oni haunting him until he finally woke up the next morning. After shaking off the lingering dread he gathered his belongings before unblocking the small cave¡¯s entrance.
Once outside he leapt into the air and turned into his raven form, flying up above the crown of the forest. The second mountain of the island loomed in front of him in the distance, his instincts telling him that the sixth trial would be on top of it. The seeker flew forward as fast as he could, covering a large distance before having to switch back into his human form. Nearly four hours later he finally arrived at the foot of the mountain, a chill running down his spine as the wind carried an unnatural feeling toward him.
Book: 1 Ch. 37 The trial of spirit
The second mountain was taller than the previous one, a thin serpentine path leading up on its side, while the forest path he followed split in two to go around the mountain. Einar flew up as high as he could, landing on the small path carved into the stone before his time as a raven ran out. The air was cool but not freezing, likely due to his strong resistance to the cold. Walking up the path the strange feeling he got from the place grew stronger the higher he got. The ancient pathway was dangerous as part of it crumbled apart with time.
The young giant felt glad that he was able to turn into a raven and fly as it helped cut his travelling time short, but as he reached the top of the mountain, his heart almost stopped beating. The top area was flat as if someone had cleaved off the tip of the mountain to make a place for the sixth trial ground. He could see a weathered altar in the middle of a stone circle that was arranged a good distance around the shrine. What made the place terrifying were the creatures that lay waiting around the altar. Einar had only seen a drake once, it being the fiery beast he and Alcmene fought together, but he was sure.
Those things were drakes, even if their scales were an icy blue. They were covered in a thin layer of snow, making them look like ice boulders. ¡®How am I supposed to start the trial if I can¡¯t even get close to the altar?¡¯ He asked himself as he saw one of the large beasts raising its head toward him. Much to his surprise though, the drake only looked at him for a few moments before letting out a frozen breath and lowering its head back down. Cautiously, Einar began to walk closer and he could finally see how the drakes were evenly spread out around the altar.
Four drakes in the four main directions, each chained to the stone with chains that were as thick as his wrists and had glowing runes running along every link. Step by step he walked toward the altar while making sure that he was in a safe distance from the icy beasts. As he finally reached the shrine, a soft voice echoed in his mind wile a glowing wall of light rose around the proving ground.
¡°A warrior might be strong in body and firm in mind but it means nothing if their soul is weak. Gaze into the eyes of the drakes and prove the strength of your soul. Fight their power with your own or risk losing your life to their fangs. Do not falter and do not concede. You are meant to rule or to perish. There is no other path.¡±
¡°To leave the trial alive you must face at least one of the ice drakes. Step in front of the beast with the blue circle in front of it to start your challenge. Only by succeeding can you leave but to earn a reward beside your life, you must challenge the drake with either the bronze, silver or gold circle and win.¡±
Glowing circles appeared in front of the beasts on the ground and the drakes became momentarily agitated before their gazes snapped at Einar.
¡°The trial of the spirit begins now!¡±
¡®Damn!¡¯ He thought to himself as he glanced at the ice drakes. Looking around he quickly found the one with the blue circle in front of it on his left. Letting out a sigh he walked over to it and stepped into the circle while facing the drake. As their eyes met, the giant felt the same uneasy feeling he felt on the way up the mountain, but this time it was more... real. Raw and cold. He could feel the beast gazing into his very soul as if searching for something, however, a moment later it lurched back with a yelp and the circle beneath him faded away.
''Did I pass?¡¯ He asked from no one in particular as he watched the drake lower its head in what he thought could be fear. With no answer arriving, he walked over to the drake with the glowing bronze circle in front of it. This time it went somewhat differently as the drake kept staring at him longer than the previous one. Einar could feel something brush up against his thoughts, straining his mind and senses just like when he cast his frost shield or his other spell. The strained feeling came and went as the drake soon lowered its head and the bronze glow faded beneath his feet.
Walking over to the Drake with the silver circle in front of it, the young seeker soon found himself staring into a pair of sapphire-like eyes and a heavier weight settled on his soul. It pushed against him, trying to command him without words to step forward but doing so would have doomed him as he would have gotten into the range of its reach. Instead of complying, he stared at him with a cold stare, his mind repeating a single word. ¡®Bow!¡¯ Now it was the drake¡¯s time to feel the strain and soon enough it relented. As soon as it dipped its head, the silvery light faded beneath the seeker and he was free to approach the last beast.
¡®Come to me!¡¯ Einar heard a voice in his head and for a moment, his body shook as it tried to move forward, but he stopped himself with a growl. That made the drake look at him with a newfound apprehension. ¡®Move forward!¡¯ The voice returned and the seeker felt it push against his soul, its weight adding up to several times what he felt from the previous creature. His body shook once again, but this time, it was more out of anger than the need to comply. His pride and rage flared up along with his hair that glowed red with flames.
¡®Don¡¯t look down on me you overgrown lizard!¡¯ He said in his mind while staring daggers at the drake. For a moment he could see the fear that appeared in the beast¡¯s eyes as if it had recognised something. ¡®What are you?¡¯ Einar could feel its thoughts in his mind as the drake couldn¡¯t decide what to do. He kept staring into its sapphire eyes with a slowly rising anger, his draconic pride making its way through the depths of his soul. ¡®Bow!¡¯ The seeker ordered in his thoughts and the drake squirmed in its chains.
¡®No!¡¯ It replied with an animalistic growl. ¡®I said, bow!¡¯ He repeated, putting everything he had behind the order, forcing the drake to whine as it stumbled back before reluctantly lowering its large head. The golden circle faded beneath Einar as he staggered and stepped back, his mind weary and his soul bruised by the strange tug of war he had with the drake. It was a strange trial and he knew that the most likely reason it went so well was the dragon¡¯s inheritance in his blood.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The young giant walked over to the altar to see what rewards he earned from the gods, a teal-coloured glowing cloud catching his eyes first. He held out his drinking horn and a cloud floated over, raining a teal dew into the horn which he drank out in two gulps. It felt soothing as if the weariness of his mind and soul got washed away. Following that he pocketed the handful of gold coins that was a common thing by now.
The next thing on the altar was an obsidian rune stone that held a teal-coloured symbol of power. Einar found no sheepskin scrolls with forging plans this time, but he did receive a tear-shaped crystal that glowed with an icy blue hue. The last item on the altar was a strange wind chime similar to what he often saw at the shrine on Bear-rock Island. He put that away as well, letting out a deep breath as he walked over to the far edge of the mountaintop. Looking down he could see the forest deep beneath him and the third mountain ahead.
Even if he were to keep switching between his human and raven forms, it would take him days before reaching the last mountain and he would also need to find the seventh and eighth trials while on the way. Einar knew that this journey would keep him away from the others for a while so he decided to first go back and see how they were doing.
Turning around he walked over to the other side of the mountain top and leapt off, turning into a raven. He glided down through the cold winds, his eyes following the ancient path. Several hours later he reached the fifth proving ground, finding it crowded with God-marked from all of the kingdoms. Walking closer to the makeshift ramparts, a voice called out to him.
¡°Halt!¡± A man yelled but was immediately berated by another voice.
¡°He¡¯s one of ours. Let him through.¡±
As the seeker walked through the bap between a hastily made barricade, he found a man of the desert kingdom and a woman of his homeland standing guard behind them.
¡°Welcome back, seeker!¡± The woman greeted him respectfully.
¡°Thanks. I see a lot has changed and the past day.¡±
¡°After your warning of the monster that hunts God-marked, Brynhildr and the other leaders agreed that it is best if we move and act united until the threat is gone.¡± The guard explained.
¡°A wise choice.¡± He agreed as he headed further into the makeshift camp that surrounded the trial ground.
¡°Look, Einar is back!¡± Someone yelled from one of the groups scattered around the camp and almost everyone raised their heads to look toward him.
The Vikings were the first to head over to him but they were closely followed by the other kingdoms¡¯ people.
¡°Einar,¡± he heard a familiar voice as R¨²na appeared from the group with a yawning Arvid following her. ¡°Glad to see you in one piece.¡±
¡°I wanted to see how things were going here before I headed too deep into the other part of the island.¡± The seeker said.
¡°Does that mean you already found the sixth trial?¡± Arvid asked, earning a nod from the giant.
¡°I did,¡± he confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s on the top of the mountain ahead. There¡¯s a path leading up there but it¡¯s quite weathered so it¡¯s best if you prepare to climb from time to time.¡±
¡°And what trial will we face this time?¡± A far less haughty Brynhildr asked, surprising the giant with her behaviour.
¡°The trial of spirit,¡± he answered after giving her an acknowledging nod. ¡°Four ice drakes are chained around the altar. You¡¯ll have to step into the circle in front of them and stare them in the eyes. From then on, they¡¯ll try to overwhelm your soul and force you to move forward.¡±
¡°What happens if you step forward?¡± Someone asked from the people gathered around him.
¡°What do you think happens when you step in front of a hungry beast?¡± Another voice asked from the back, earning a slight laughter of amusement from the crowd.
¡°Sounds like a tough challenge,¡± a warrior from Hellada said, many agreeing with him. ¡°What of the beasts along the path?¡±
¡°Just a few wolves here and there. I didn¡¯t come across any of the large ones though. What about here? Did you come across any trouble?¡±
¡°There were a couple of larger boars and wolves but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle,¡± Brynhildr answered while looking at her people. ¡°Luckily, there¡¯s no sign of that... Oni so far.¡±
¡°Let us hope it stays that way,¡± Takeshi remarked as he walked over with a few of his warriors. ¡°An Oni is not something that can be easily killed. Lady Hanako is already working on some binding talismans we could use to pin it down, but even then, it might have grown too strong for us to handle.¡±
¡°All the more reason to conquer the trials as soon as possible,¡± a man from the Eastern Alliance stated. ¡°The gods gave us three months, yet we¡¯re already at the fifth trial after barely a few days. If we can reach the last trial in another week or two, we¡¯ll be able to spend the rest of that time building proper defences and getting stronger ourselves.¡±
¡°I agree,¡± the leader of the desert kingdom¡¯s God-marked spoke up. ¡°If what you said is true then this Oni of yours can grow stronger by killing and eating the God-blessed beasts of the forest. If we kill them and take their power before the Oni does, that would deprive it of a chance to grow in strength.¡±
¡°Doing so would make a target out of our people,¡± Takeshi argued. ¡°The last time it killed three warriors without a problem. How many do you think it can take on now? Five? Ten? Even a binding talisman can only hold it down for a few moments and without enough strength to kill it in one go, the Oni can feast on the flesh of those it killed to heal its wounds.¡±
¡°How long will it take for those talismans to be finished?¡± Brynhildr asked with an annoyed tone.
¡°She should be done by tomorrow morning,¡± the answer came. ¡°More than enough time for everyone to have their chance at the trial. After that, we should move toward the next one together. That way, even if the Oni attacks us, we could overwhelm it.¡±
¡°Then we¡¯ll dig in for the night,¡± the warrior of Hellada stated. ¡°we¡¯ll shrink the camp down into as small as we can so that it can be properly defended and have guards in rotation. Agreed?¡±
¡°Agreed.¡± The others said with a firm tone, the crowd dispersing once the decision was made.
Einar walked over to R¨²na, the young woman giving him a knowing look. They left toward the area where she set up her tent and the seeker spread out his earnings on a wolf hide rug.
Book: 1 Ch. 38 Talking with the princess
The forgemaiden examined the items before her, stopping on the rune stone for a moment before clicking her tongue as she looked at the tear-shaped gem.
¡°It seems the Gods really do favour you. That rune would further protect your mind while this frozen tear could strengthen any frost-aligned talisman. Both are good things to have about.¡±
¡°I take it the rune is meant for a headwear?¡± Einar asked, earning a slight nod.
¡°Yes and don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t forgotten my promise and I¡¯ll craft you that headband as soon as I can find a proper place to work. One that¡¯s hopefully bereft of watchful eyes and killer giants.¡±
¡°Sounds like you¡¯re not too hopeful about this... temporary God-marked alliance.¡±
¡°These people might be tolerating each other for now, but they can barely agree on anything without having to spend hours arguing. I swear even Arvid has more sense to him than these fools. Don¡¯t tell him I said that.¡±
¡°Sure.¡± The young giant let a small smirk creep across his face as he took off his left-hand talisman and handed it over to the forgemaiden.
¡°So this is the ice shield talisman Lady Hrefna made you? It¡¯s beautiful. And powerful too. I only ever refined one talisman so this will take longer than it usually does. You should go and talk to Arvid or get something to eat while I¡¯m working. You look like you could use both.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± he agreed with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±
¡°Take your time. I¡¯ll need about an hour for this.¡±
Einar left without another word, his feet taking him to a set of campfires that served as the Vikings'' makeshift kitchen. Arvid was busy helping out, roasting some meat, which involved slowly turning the rod on which the meat was while talking to a shining-eyed young woman. When Einar got close, the girl looked at him with a meek smile before turning to leave.
¡°Wha... wait!¡± Arvid tried to call out to the girl before noticing the giant behind him.
¡°Einar,¡± the warrior turned around, his sullen mood shifting to excitement. ¡°You¡¯re back! I heard someone mention that you came back but I didn¡¯t believe it until now. What are you doing here? Weren¡¯t you off to explore the island?¡±
¡°I was but I decided to tell everyone about the sixth trial before heading deeper. It looks like the other challenges are days away from here.¡±
¡°I see. So, how was the sixth trial?¡± Arvid asked.
The young seeker spent a good ten minutes telling him everything about his journey toward the mountain and the trial itself. By the end of his tale, Arvid was looking at him with raised eyebrows.
¡°You¡¯re telling me that they want us to stare a bunch of ice drakes in the eyes? How are we supposed to do that and survive? Half of these braggarts would get killed off by the second drake.¡±
¡°The Gods must have a reason for doing this.¡±
¡°You mean, besides being vicious bastards? I doubt. Anyway. What are you going to do now?¡± The warrior asked while slicing off a piece of meat to check if it was good to eat.
¡°I¡¯ll stay for the night and head out early in the morning,¡± the seeker replied. ¡°I still have three more trials to find and conquer. They are likely toward the other end of the island, so it would take days to reach them.¡±
¡°I guess we won¡¯t be seeing you around for a while,¡± Arvid sighed as he held out a large slice of roasted meat to the young giant. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing. This place gets more dangerous the further we get inland. The others might have forgotten to mention it when you arrived, but we ran across an ash drake on the way here.¡±
¡°Oh...¡±
¡°It killed three warriors before we managed to end it.¡±
¡°Was it at least worth it?¡±
¡°You tell me. You¡¯re eating its remains.¡± The man pointed at the large chunk of meat that was slowly being cooked over the fire.
¡°It¡¯s not bad but it wasn¡¯t worth three lives.¡±
¡°People die for wealth, birds die for food.¡± Arvid said with a darkened expression as he pulled the large roasting rod from above the fire.
¡°A strange thing to say, but true. So, what about you? What are you planning to do?¡±
¡°Me? I¡¯ll stick with the others and conquer the trials,¡± the firm-toned answer came. ¡°After that though, it¡¯s every man for himself.¡±
¡°Arvid...¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that look. We both know that as soon as we step on the second island and the truce of the Gods is gone, it¡¯s going to turn into a war. I mean, you told us yourself that Takeshi fellow promised you a duel to the death. Do you think the others are different?¡±
A few moments of awkward silence stretched on before the man continued.
¡°They act all respectful when you¡¯re standing in front of them but as soon as you leave, they start kissing Brynhildr¡¯s boots. The same goes for the God-marked of the other kingdoms. Everyone keeps looking at each other as if they¡¯re expecting a blade in the back.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± Einar remarked while sitting down. ¡°We¡¯ve been raiding the ships of the Eastern Alliance for centuries. Of course, they want us dead.¡±
¡°And the others? I heard some of the warriors from Hellada talk about you with respect, but the desert kingdom¡¯s people want to enslave us while the Empire¡¯s folks think that we are all savages and must be killed to protect their lands. Mark my words, this will end in a bloodbath. And for what? Glory, fame? A chance at becoming a god?¡±
¡°People died for less before.¡±
¡°True,¡± Arvid sighed as he too sat down, handing over a plate of food to the young giant. ¡°It¡¯s still going to be bad though. I already talked with the others and we decided to split as soon as we reached the second island. Brynhildr will want us to dig in and build some kind of fortress from where she could rule us like she always wanted, but we want no part of it.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°There¡¯s strength in numbers.¡± Einar said between two bites.
¡°Says the man who wants to conquer the island on his own.¡±
¡°True.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about us,¡± the young warrior reassured the giant. ¡°Unlike the others here, none of us wants to become Gods.¡±
¡°Then how are you planning to leave the Torn Serpent?¡± The seeker asked with an equally concerned and puzzled look.
¡°It¡¯s simple. We just have to survive until you or someone else becomes a god and gets us out of here. Then we can all return home as divine champions, carrying gold-filled sacks and epic tales that will make all the women swoon.¡±
¡°Of course, you will.¡± Einar said as he rolled his eyes at his friend¡¯s antics.
¡°Einar,¡± a voice cut into their friendly chatter as an armour-clad woman walked toward them. ¡°Lady Brynhildr wishes to see you.¡±
When the giant didn¡¯t react, the woman cleared her throat.
¡°She wasn¡¯t ordering, but asking. She said that she hopes you can join her and have a talk.¡±
¡°Go on,¡± Arvid said with a smirk. ¡°She might want to propose to you in private.¡±
¡°You¡¡± The woman turned toward Arvid with looks that could kill, but the warrior just raised his hands.
¡°Easy there. I¡¯m talking about an alliance, not marriage. Why don¡¯t you sit down instead and eat some food while its still warm?¡±
¡°I¡¡± She wavered while the giant stood up, heading toward the large tent that belonged to Brynhildr.
Arriving in front of the large tent, Einar found two shieldmaidens standing guard. The women gave him an apprehensive look before stepping aside to let him through. Inside, the seeker found simple bed rolls lined up along the tent wall, leaving enough space to walk about. A small firepit was in the middle, Brynhildr sitting beside it with a conflicted expression.
¡°Thank you for coming,¡± she finally said, breaking the awkward silence and surprising Einar with her polite tone. I hoped we could talk about... things.¡±
¡°Things?¡± The giant asked back after hearing her strange mutters.
¡°What did Harald tell you when he came to you?¡±
¡°Not much,¡± he let out a sigh while walking closer so he too could sit down. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know it was him until we arrived here. He appeared as an old warrior and I thought he came along with the other sailors for one last adventure. Told me his name was Spear and after I offered him a place beside the fire and some food, he told me the story of how he earned his name and gave me some advice before leaving.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Brynhildr questioned with her eyebrows raised.
¡°He did leave behind a drawing of a raven that turned out to be his blessing in the form of a star chart.¡±
¡°I see,¡± she sighed wearily. ¡°When Svanhildr came to me, she too kept her true name hidden but she soon revealed it after making sure that we were alone. The queen of the gods then told me that once we arrived, I was meant to lead our people through the first island safely.¡±
¡°Only the first one?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand at the time but after the Fates told us that we could only fight the beasts but not the other kingdoms¡¯ God-marked on the first island, it became clear. She wanted me to lead them to the trials and make sure that as many of us survive as possible.¡±
¡°Arvid thinks that once we set foot on the next island, everyone will turn on each other for the chance of becoming a god.¡±
¡°He¡¯s right,¡± the young woman agreed, surprising him once again. ¡°You might not have noticed that since you¡¯re out there exploring most of the time but it¡¯s already happening. My shieldmaidens had caught wind of several small groups forming around strong warriors, most believing that they could rise to power through them.¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t become a god then become their champion,¡± Einar deduced. ¡°What about your shieldmaidens? Are they loyal?¡±
¡°I have known them since I was a child,¡± Brynhildr stated with a firm and heavy tone. ¡°They are good people, loyal and trustworthy. But most importantly, none of them wants to become a god. There are others too that only came here because of the edict of the gods. Most of them only want to survive long enough to get back home but this Oni...¡±
¡°It¡¯s stronger than me,¡± the giant admitted. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the barrier of the proving ground, it would have likely killed me. If it appears, don¡¯t hesitate to use anything you and the others have to overwhelm and kill it.¡±
¡°I know. Hopefully, that fox¡¯s magic trinkets can really tie it down long enough to let us kill it without having to sacrifice our people.¡±
¡°Is there anything else or...¡±
¡°I... I wanted to apologize. When we arrived on the island, I was desperate. A part of me was afraid that you being Harald¡¯s chosen meant that I would be forced to marry you when we became gods.¡±
¡°If,¡± Einar corrected her. ¡°The trials set by the gods are already dangerous enough and they are supposed to be preparing us for the real challenges of the other islands.¡±
¡°Still, coming here was meant to get me away from my father¡¯s grasp and grant me my freedom, but then we got visited by the gods and...¡±
¡°They gave us a blessing, not a command. Whatever we do with it is up to us. You want to lead the people and I want to explore and hunt. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±
¡°And becoming a god?¡± Brynhildr asked the important question, making Einar let out a sigh.
¡°It¡¯s tempting, but I still have people back home waiting for me to return.¡±
¡°Even if you don¡¯t become a god, you are still going to lose them with time,¡± the young woman remarked with a low tone. ¡°God-marked age slower the stronger they get. I won¡¯t ask you how powerful you are right now, but I can guess some of it just by sitting near you, feeling the divine power that surrounds you. You are likely already at a point where you would live nearly twice as long as an ordinary man and that will only grow longer.¡±
¡°Or I might just die young in battle,¡± the giant added as he slowly stood up to leave. ¡°My father often said that worrying about things you can¡¯t change is just a pointless source of headaches.¡±
¡°Wise words,¡± Brynhildr nodded as she watched him leave, calling out to him before he reached the entrance of the tent. ¡°And Einar. Be careful out there!¡±¡°The same to you.¡±
The seeker walked back to Arvid in silence, his mind going through the short conversation he had with the princess. There was truth in her words but none of it was helping him at the moment. There were still three trials left on the island just so he could leave and who knows how many islands he had to go through. It was better not to think about the problems of the distant future for now though. Back at the fire, he found his friend side by side with the shieldmaiden, the two sitting and sharing stories over some food.
¡°So, how was it?¡± He asked after noticing the seeker. ¡°You¡¯re still in one piece so it couldn¡¯t have been that bad.¡±
¡°We talked about some matters, mostly the island and the Oni.¡±
¡°I should get going.¡± The woman beside Arvid said as she stood up to leave.
¡°Already? You haven¡¯t even finished the tale about that hunt.¡±
¡°Maybe another time.¡± She replied with a somewhat shy smile before leaving, the warrior staring at her back wistfully.
¡°Did I interrupt something?¡± Einar asked as he sat down beside the fire.
¡°Not really. How were things with the princess?¡±
¡°She seems... different.¡±
¡°That trial with the stone stairs hit her hard. She became a lot more reserved after that. A lot of people did.¡±
¡°Not you, apparently.¡± The giant remarked.
Book: 1 Ch. 39 The trial of charm
¡°This is me being reserved,¡± Arvid chuckled. ¡°But seriously, things had changed a lot. Everyone feels like a dagger that has been sheathed but is ready for blood.¡±
¡°Brynhildr said that she too agrees with you about the people turning on each other once we reach the second island.¡±
¡°Of course, she does. She¡¯s not blind. Several groups tried to secretly ask me to join them in the past few days. They tried to be subtle about it but it was clear that whoever wasn¡¯t with them would become an enemy. What about you? Do you plan on joining Brynhildr or...¡±
¡°No,¡± Einar shook his head. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen much of me these past days and will see even less once I reach the next island.¡±
¡°Sounds like a seeker alright. Just don¡¯t disappear on us forever.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t plan to,¡± the young giant said before a deep yawn broke free. ¡°I should see if R¨²na has finished my talisman, then get some sleep.¡±
¡°You do that,¡± the warrior hummed. ¡°I still have a few people to talk to.¡±
Leaving Arvid behind, Einar headed back toward R¨²na''s tent, finding the forgemaiden sitting beside her own small campfire. When she noticed the seeker, she gave him a weak smile.
¡°Are you alright?¡± Einar asked worried, but the woman just waved him off.
¡°Just a bit tired. Refining your talisman took more out of me than I imagined it would.¡±
Saying that she handed over the bracelet. Looking at it, the young giant could see the difference as the once pale and faint runes now glowed with a frost-blue light. The metal of the bracelet felt cold to his touch and when he put it on, a shiver ran along his spine
¡°That ice drake tear is a rare treasure,¡± she remarked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having a few dozen more of those.¡±
¡°You might be able to get one if you manage to win against all four of the drakes.¡±
¡°As if,¡± she sighed. ¡°Not everyone is as hard-headed as you are.¡±
A few seconds of awkward silence later the forgemaiden spoke up once more.
¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡±
¡°The same thing as before,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°There are three more trials to find and conquer. After that, the next island and the one after that.¡±
¡°One step at a time,¡± R¨²na hummed. ¡°Will we meet again before you leave for the next island?¡±
¡°Hopefully. Once there though... it will be hard to say what happens.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to take a swing at you with my hammer,¡± the woman stated. ¡°And besides. You seem to have a knack for finding rare materials and runes for me to work with. As for me, I doubt that any of the God-marked Vikings here would be dumb enough to attack the only forgemaiden that could help strengthen their arms and armour.¡±
¡°Arvid said he plans to leave with a few of his friends, trying to stay away from the others.¡±
¡°I know,¡± R¨²na nodded in agreement. ¡°He invited me as well, but I haven¡¯t decided yet. It will depend on what we find on the next island. Anyway, you should get some rest. You look like you¡¯re ready to keel over at any moment.¡±
¡°It was a long day.¡± Einar claimed as he began to pull out pieces of his tent from his world eater pouch, setting up his shelter for the night beside R¨²na¡¯s.
¡°Good night.¡± The seeker said before sprawling out on his bedroll, falling asleep faster than expected.
When morning came, the young giant got out of his tent and packed it away, finding R¨²na still sleeping inside her own. Most of the camp was still silent with the people either sleeping or quietly sitting beside the rekindled campfires. Einar wanted to leave unnoticed, but he was stopped by the voice of a man he soon recognised.
¡°I heard you have a habit of leaving unannounced,¡± Rokuro, the protector of the fox-tailed woman said from the side as he walked over. ¡°Lady Hanako asked me to bring you these before you leave.¡±
The archer handed over three slips of parchment that had the same glowing symbols drawn on them.
¡°These are?¡±
¡°Paralysing charms,¡± the man explained. ¡°They work similarly to talismans, but they are single-use things. Hold them between your fingers like this and channel your spirit energy into them. Once the symbols light up, throw them toward the target the way you would a knife and they will seek out the prey on their own.¡±
Einar listened to the archer intently, his eyes never leaving the strange parchment strips.
¡°They can at best restrain your enemy for a minute although that could change depending on their strength. If you use one, you must either run or kill your opponent as fast as you can.¡±
¡°Got it,¡± the seeker nodded as he put away the parchment talismans. ¡°Tell Lady Hanako that she has my thanks.¡±
¡°Kill the Oni if it appears and you will have repaid her kindness in full. Now go. Many of the people in the camp would want to keep you here as another weapon to wield, but you are more useful to us out there.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
¡°Thanks?¡± Einar looked at him puzzled before turning around and leaping into the air, turning into his raven form to fly away.
Hours later, he reached the mountain with the sixth trial once again. He found the four ice drakes still chained around the weathered stone altar, the beast not even deigning to look at him as he landed. The seeker took a cold breath as he walked over to the other side of the mountaintop looking toward the distant forest below him. There were a few spots where the trees parted to give space to what could have been ruins, but they were too far away to know for sure even with his looking glass.
Stopping for a moment to think things through again, Einar checked his kit and supplies before leaping forward. He fell through the air for a second or two before turning into a raven, gliding through the sky toward the next mountain. He flew as far as he could before landing on the overgrown path to continue on foot. It took the better part of the day for him to reach the first clearing along the way, the ruins of what once could have been a small forest village. Unlike the previous ruins before, this one was completely broken and overgrown. He found the remains of the stone wall of the settlement, crumbling and overgrown.
None of the houses were standing, their collapsed remnants held signs of something rampaging through the village. ¡®What happened here?¡¯ Einar asked silently as he walked along between the ruins. The answer came to him at the other end of the settlement where he found the bones of a long dead beast. It was a strange sight as a large skeleton got pinned to a half-destroyed wall by rusty spears. Its body was similar to a human¡¯s but its skull was that of a bull with a pair of large horns and its feet ended in hooves. The size of the skeleton was also bigger than even he or the Oni was.
Several other broken and overgrown corpses littered the ground around him, their armour rusted and useless. ¡®It must have been a desperate fight.¡± Einar thought to himself as he looked around for anything that could have been salvaged but for nothing worth taking. Having no reason to waste time there, the giant leapt up into the air and turned into his raven form, flying above the forest¡¯s crown. He headed toward the next point of interest, barely making half of the journey before night fell.
When morning came, he dismantled his contraption before continuing his journey. When he reached the next clearing he found the telltale marks of a proving ground in the middle area of the small valley. Rune carved stones lay in a circle around an altar the dense grass and shrubs stopping at the edge of the circle. There were four stone pedestals placed around the altar in an even distance according to the four main directions, each different in size yet all of them had something in common. An animal was sitting on top of each pedestal, all four staying dead silent as they watched Einar approach the altar. He pulled out his drinking horn from his satchel and placed it on the altar, a soft and sultry voice resounding in his mind as he did so.
¡°It¡¯s not always the strongest that survives,¡± the voice whispered into his mind. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s the one that can convince others the best. The trial of charm is meant to prove your charisma and persuasiveness in the face of adversity. A true leader must be able to inspire, flatter, bribe or reason with others in hopes of getting what they need without having to resort to violence.¡±
The corner of Einar¡¯s eyes twitched as he listened to the alluring voice, his very soul shuddering with desire for a moment before he grit his teeth and cleared his thoughts. The seemingly broken stone pillars rose into the air piece by piece, reassembling themselves as a barrier appeared around and above the proving ground.
¡°Each of the four beasts around you has their own personality. Read their behaviour and convince them to accept you or face their wrath upon failure. Their pride grows as the circles in front of them change from clear to bronze, then to silver and finally gold. You must earn the favour of at least one of them to be able to leave the proving grounds.¡±
As he heard this, the seeker glanced around to see what he had to work with. The first beast was a raven while the second was a peacock. He looked at the third pedestal that held what seemed to be a grey-furred wolf. The last pedestal held a small fire drake that was the size of a grown dog. Einar was stumped at the sight of the four beasts. How was he supposed to convince them to accept him? The first of the four was the raven. He walked over and stepped in front of the bird, greeting it with an awkward nod.
¡°Hello¡¡± He tried to speak to the creature, but it simply ignored him.
¡°Listen, I¡¡±
¡°Caw.¡± The raven let out a bored gurgling croak, slightly turning its head away from the seeker.
¡°You little¡¡± Einar grumbled as he turned into his raven form, earning a newfound interest from the bird standing on the pedestal.
¡°Caw.¡± The new a response from the raven as it looked at him excited.
A moment later the small brazier beside the pedestal lit up, its flame floating up in a fist-sized ball that floated toward the altar in the centre. ¡®Thank you, I guess.¡¯ He thought while returning to his human form and heading toward the peacock.
¡°Greetings.¡± Einar said as he stepped inside the glowing bronze circle.
The idly lounging peacock raised its head to look at him with its beady eyes. The seeker could feel its gaze moving up and down along his body as if the bird was examined and came from head to toe. It was strange to speak to the bird and even stranger to try and convince it. What little he knew about peacocks told him they were proud and arrogant creatures. That is if he could believe those off-handed remarks.
¡°I¡¯m not sure what I should be doing here,¡± he admitted awkwardly. ¡°I mean, you are a really pretty bird with your colourful feathers and all that...¡±
Before the giant could even finish what he wanted to say, the brazier beside the happily cooing peacock burst into flames, the fire spilling over as it formed into a ball that flew towards the altar. ¡®They really are proud and arrogant.¡¯ Einar hummed as he gave a slight nod to the bird and turned toward the next pedestal. The dark grey-furred wolf that lay on the short stone pedestal raised its ears upon his arrival, The animal looking at Einar with a curious gaze.
¡°Easy there,¡± the seeker said as he walked closer with slow steps. ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight.¡±
The wolf cared little about his words as it kept staring at him warily. They both stared at each other for a while, Einar trying to figure out how to speak and what to say while the wolf was just sitting on the weathered stone, slowly licking its snout.
¡°Are you¡ hungry?¡± He finally asked after noticing the beast¡¯s repeated licking.
He didn¡¯t receive an answer but it was worth a try so he reached into his world eater pouch and pulled out some dried meat which he held out toward the beast. The wolf raised its head slightly as it noticed the meat, sniffing into the air before getting on its feet with visible excitement.
¡°I guess you are.¡± Einar sighed relieved as he carefully tossed the piece of meat toward the wolf which it caught with its fangs from the air.
It chewed at it greedily and swallowed it in one go before looking back at the young giant. Einar noticed that the silvery light of the circle began to glow stronger. ¡®Bribery it is.¡¯ He thought as he tossed another piece of dried meat to the wolf. After the third piece, the brazier beside the pedestal the wolf stood on best to life with bright flames that drifted toward the altar at the centre.
The seeker watched it for a moment before turning his guest toward the last beast he would have to convince to gain the highest prize of the trial. The small drake was also watching him from afar, its eyes cold with indifference. Once he stepped into the golden circle in front of the drake, Einar noticed that it barely growled at him a bit before laying its head down on its clawed feet in boredom.
Book: 1 Ch. 40 The battle of the serene lake
¡°Are you hungry?¡± The seeker asked as he held out a piece of dried meat but the beast didn¡¯t react at all to the treat.
¡®Figured it wouldn¡¯t be so easy with you.¡¯ He mused as he changed the food to a golden coin, hoping the drake would share its larger kin¡¯s greed for shiny things. It earned some response from the drake as it regarded the coin with suspicion before letting out a low growl.
¡°You want it?¡± He asked as he tossed the coin toward the beast.
It moved with surprising speed to catch it out of the air, placing it on the stone in front of it. A moment later it let out a small roar toward Einar and the brazier lit up with a blood-red flame.
¡°Damn it!¡± The giant cursed, knowing well what the red flames meant.
He drew his sword, ready to fight whatever horrors would crawl out of the nothingness around him. Just as he expected smoke seeped out of the cracks on the ground forming pools of darkness out of which large netherworld wretches clawed their way out. These however looked different from the ones he had fought before. These looked similar to a drake, except they were the size of a cow. Their scales were dull black, oozing with a vicious black sap that hissed as it dropped on the stone beneath their feet.
Einar didn¡¯t wait for them to fully emerge, using all his strength to behead the nearest one while only its upper half was out of the shadows, killing off another one before it could fully emerge. The remaining three drake-like monsters lunged at him with unbridled fury, trying their hardest to rip him apart with black claws and black fangs that were sharp enough to leave deep grooves in his armour. The seeker managed to impale one of them with his sword when it tried to jump at him with its maw open but had to let go of his sword to dodge another monster that almost managed to bite his hand.
Summoning his frost shield and the spear made of fire, Einar stabbed the beast through its eye, killing it in a fiery attack. The last of the drakes smashed into the ice shield, trying to push him down to the ground. The young giant answered the beast¡¯s roar with his own as his hair lit up with flames, his muscles tensing up under the influence of ¡®draconic pride¡¯ before shoving back the beast. He pushed it back, stomping it in the side just below its neck before it could turn its head back. Einar then rushed toward the dead wretch that had his sword and yanked it free, taking a swing at the approaching monster.
His blade bit into its snout, making it lurch back for a moment, just for it to receive another swing, then another. The seeker swung his blade with rage and precision, beheading the shadowy drake that let out a mournful growl before succumbing to death. With the last of the monsters dead, he stomped his way toward the small drake that was still standing on the stumpy stone pillar.
¡°What do you...¡± He tried to ask but his words stuck in his throat as he noticed the excited and almost reverent gaze the small drake was giving him.
The brazier beside it lit up with golden flames that rose and formed a golden ball of fire, shooting toward the altar. ¡®The little bastard wanted a show of might?¡¯ He tried to figure out the reason behind the thing that just happened as he headed over to the altar. As usual, several items waited for him with the first being a pink cloud that floated a foot above the shrine. He used his drinking horn to gather some divine nectar from the cloud, drinking it in a single gulp. The second object of interest was the small pile of gold coins he was quite familiar with by now.
His third reward was a granite rune that had a symbol on it that glowed with a faint pink light. His fourth and last reward was a peacock feather shaped item that was made out of different coloured glass shards, held together by a thin layer of silver. ¡®A relic maybe?¡¯ Einar thought to himself while putting it away. With the trial over it was time for him to leave so he leapt into the air and turned into his raven form to fly away. Looking down from high above the forest he could barely see the next clearing in the distance on the way toward the final mountain of the island.
Hours went by switching between flying and walking along the overgrown path that cut through the forest, having to land on a large tree when night finally caught up to him. Using some rope and his bedroll to create a makeshift bed among the branches, the seeker turned in for the night. The next morning he broke camp and left to continue his journey, travelling for what felt like half a day before he finally found another place of interest. It wasn¡¯t a trial ground or anything like it, but a grove with a small lake that had a tree in the middle, growing on a large chunk of mossy rock.
¡®This is... strange.¡¯ Einar hummed as he returned to his human form and landed on the edge of the lake. The water was crystal clear and shallow, not even reaching above his waist and was dotted with large round-ish leaves that had colourful flowers among them. Dragonflies flew by above the flowers and birds chirped on the branches of the tree in the middle of the water, making the scenery serene and dreamlike. What made the seeker excited were the faintly glowing fruits on the tree, each surrounded by a golden mist. He carefully took a step forward and began to walk toward the tree, feeling solid stone beneath his feet as he waded through the water.
¡®This feels too easy.¡¯ Einar remarked in his mind, his hand slowly reaching the hilt of his sword. As if to prove his suspicion, the moment his leg brushed against one of the plate-sized flat leaves with a flower on it, a creature burst out of the water, clawing and biting at his side. Its face was a mix between a human and a lizard, the top of its misshapen skull having an indent that was filled with water. The creature failed to bite him, its fangs and claws unable to leave anything besides shallow marks on his armour. Einar drew his sword and swung it downward, splitting the beast in two. It fell back into the water, causing other flowers to rise as several new creatures emerged. Looking down at them, the giant noticed that he could only see their body once it was out of the water. Beneath it, they were completely invisible.
¡®I knew it was too good to be true.¡¯ He growled as the beasts began to rush toward him. As his enemies encircled him, the young giant had an idea and took a deep breath. ¡®Frozen wastes.¡¯ He thought as he exhaled sharply, a ring of frozen air pushing outwards from him, freezing the water and the monsters in it. They were momentarily stuck, giving him an easy target to swing his blade at.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Soon enough the previously crystal clear water turned red with slashed apart corpses floating in it. Einar stood there with faint scratch marks on his armour and skin, heaving as he took a better look at his defeated opponents. They were small in size, roughly the same size as his little brother, but their skin was that of a lizard with a turtleshell-like thing protecting their body. The seeker¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as he felt ripples across the lake. Looking toward the small island with the tree, he noticed that it was moving, slowly rising from the water.
¡®What in Harald¡¯s name is that?¡¯ Einar mumbled he watched a giant turtle raise its head out of the water, its shell being covered in stone on which the mystical tree grew. Its face was marred with many scars, but its eyes felt... gentle. The young giant was both curious and wary of the creature so he slowly backed away as the turtle began to move toward him. Much to his surprise, the giant beast stopped near the first corpse, lowering its head to chomp down on the bloody remains. The sickening sound of bones crunching and flesh tearing made Einar shudder as he circled the turtle, keeping his eyes on it in case it decided to look for a larger snack.
When he became sure that the beast had no interest in him, the seeker waded closer to its rear, climbing up onto its massive shell to reach the tree. He looked at the crown of the tree, its fruits bright amber-coloured with a tinge of red, their size similar to that of a plum. A faint glow could be seen beneath their smooth skin and a shimmering mist swirled around them. Einar reached up to pluck one of the fruits, eating it in two bites that only left him with a long bony seed. He felt a soothing warmth spread across his body that filled him with strength and vigour.
When he tried to pluck another one, he found that he couldn¡¯t make it move even a little bit. ¡®It looks like I can only take one.¡¯ He mused as he turned around to leave, jumping into the air and turning into his raven form to continue his journey. Nightfall found him travelling along the ancient path, forcing him to seek shelter on top of a giant tree. Hidden by the thick branches and large leaves, Einar chose to enter his inner world to see the changes that occurred to him. When he opened his eyes had found himself sitting in front of the primitive altar with the large stone slab behind it, the young giant couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.
The floating tapestry beside it grew longer, showing the events of the recent past, his encounter with the giant turtle ending the story. He walked closer to the altar and found the strange peacock feather lying on it. The seeker picked it up and stuck it onto the new indent that appeared on the edge of the stone slab behind the altar, a new set of glowing words appearing on the wall.
{Undeniable presence}
{Those bearing the gift of an undeniable presence are meant for greatness, be it as a merchant, a leader, or a performer. Your presence will draw attention, your words will find agreeing nods, and your goal will find followers. But beware, for sometimes, a strong presence will warrant unwanted attention as well.}
¡®Well, that wasn¡¯t cryptic at all.¡¯ Einar sighed as he looked at the blessing granted to him by the feather, not knowing what its true power really was. He turned his attention toward the stone figurines on the altar, touching the first one so that he could see his heraldry.
{Name: Einar Arnessen}
{Title: none}
{Ancestry: dragon/human/giant}
{Age: 18}
{Valour: 5800}
{Calling: Seeker}
{Renown: known by a few}
{Attributes}
? Charm:17
? Deftness: 25
? Divinity: 15
? Grit: 22
? Heart; 38
? Luck: 15
? Might: 38
? Mind: 22
? Soul: 27
Vigour/Spirit/Fortitude
135/175/150
The changes were quite noticeable compared to the last time he checked and not only due to the giant ancestry or the success in his last trial. It seemed that eating that divine fruit further increased his heart, luck and might attributes by one. It also further strengthened his fortitude and vigour by a small amount. ¡®If I keep growing like this, I might become a demigod in a few days.¡¯ He thought to himself as he recalled that he would become one upon one of his attributes reaching fifty.
Most of his skills and spells also rose by a small amount, his raven form reaching a new rank of mastery which earned a smile of satisfaction along with a single point¡¯s worth of increase in his grit and soul attributes. Looking at the large number of valour he earned, the seeker began to think about which of his star drawings should he fill out since his ancestral ones were already bought.
In the end, he chose the scroll of the shaman, a new set of golden stars appearing in the vast darkness above him as his divinity attribute rose by three. Recalling the true purpose of his divinity attribute, Einar realised that he never actually used it for what it was intended for. Nor did he understand how it was meant to be used. ¡®Should I... pray to myself?¡¯ He mused, knowing that doing so would change some of his valour into divine essence. Whatever that was.
¡®Alright, let¡¯s try it.¡¯ The seeker thought as he silently began to chant the old prayer both he and everyone else in the village were taught when they were young. Only this time it was directed at himself. For a moment he could feel it working but then it stumped as it hit an unseen wall, earning him a backlash that threw him out of his inner world. ¡®Wha... what just happened?¡¯ Einar mumbled as he reeled back, leaning back into his rope-bound bedroll.
The world was spinning around him and his head was pounding with the worst headache he ever felt while his chest squeezed like someone struck him with a giant hammer. Not wanting to risk another failure and the pain it brought along, the giant decided to stop trying for now, hoping that maybe R¨²na or Brynhildr would have an answer to what happened. He turned in for a night, having a fitful sleep that ended when the first rays of the morning sun reached him.
After a meagre breakfast and breaking camp, he leapt off from the tree, turning into a raven to fly along the old path toward the last mountain. Half a day later he reached another set of ruins but found nothing of interest there besides old bones and rotten tools. The end of the day found him in what he recognised to be an overgrown proving ground.
Book: 1 Ch. 41 The trial of might
¡®The eighth trial.¡¯ He thought to himself, looking at the weathered altar and the rune-carved rocks lying in a circle around it. ¡®It¡¯s better to try it in the morning when I¡¯m at my best.¡¯ Einar decided as he flew up toward the crown of a nearby large tree, building the all too familiar rope and bedroll based night camp. When morning came, the young giant broke camp and climbed off the tree.
He walked over to the empty area with the weathered altar, a faint sense of unease running along his spine as the broken stones that lay in a circle not too far from the altar began to hum with power. They slowly rose into the air, forming into thick, rune-carved columns that released a familiar wave of mystical energy. Once the barrier formed, a firm and coarse voice resounded in his mind.
¡°Some say that might make right. Others say that it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. No matter which path you choose, without strength, you will be crushed by your enemies.¡±
As the voice spoke, a circle of green light appeared not far from Einar.
¡°The trial of might will pit you against powerful enemies meant to test your mettle, each round earning you either glory and riches or defeat and death. Three rounds, three circles, one goal. Fight or die.¡±
Large patches of dark smoke seeped out of the stone ground, forming pools of darkness from which monstrous hands reached out.
¡°Let the trial of might begin!¡±
Einar didn¡¯t hesitate and drew his blade, running toward the nearest enemy to cut it apart. The creatures that crawled out of the darkness were different from most of the netherworld wretches he faced before. These were larger and more ferocious looking than the ones he saw before. They wore spiked armour and held different weapons, everything coated in black and red with crimson fire burning in their eyes. The young giant fought with savage swings that cut deep into his opponents, his occasional kicks shattering bones. It all felt... strange to him.
Einar decided to fight with all of his might and it showed. Where previously he struggled against such opponents, now he defeated them with ease. Soon enough the near dozen enemies were nothing but broken and slashed apart corpses that burned up in amber-coloured flames which then floated toward the altar, gathering into a fist-sized cloud of fire. A bronze circle of light appeared in front of the altar but Einar stood still, refusing to give up so early. The circle faded in a few seconds and new patches of black smoke appeared above the ancient ground.
New monsters crawled their way out of the liquid shadow, each more horrid than the one before it. They were at least a head taller than the previous ones, wider too by a slight margin. Their misshaped bodies oozed a black goo that hissed as it fell on the stone ground, melting tiny dents into it. The young giant didn¡¯t wait for them to attack as he immediately swung his blade at the nearest one, his sword taking its head, but with far more effort than before. He then had to block a pitch-black blade before another one screeched across his side, leaving a faint scratch mark on his armour.
¡®What the...¡¯ Einar muttered to himself, dodging yet another attack before responding to it with a downward slash of his own that cut the wretch in half from its left shoulder down to its stomach. He had to kick it off his blade when the sword didn¡¯t budge further. The fight this time lasted for a good two minutes before the last of the wretches hit the floor dead, Einar standing beside it while panting heavily. The corpses burned up in amber-coloured flames that floated toward the altar as a silver circle of light appeared in front of it.
¡®One more round.¡¯ He thought, trying to catch his breath in the few moments of respite he was given. The fight was harder than he expected as the monsters became much stronger than the ones from the previous round. Although he knew that he could have finished them off sooner if you used magic, this was a trial of might and he wanted to prove himself as a warrior without resorting to the aid of mystical powers. His stubbornness stoked the flames of his resolve as the silver circle faded and a new army of monsters rose from the darkness that seeped out from the ground.
There were only nine of them this time, however, each of them was only a head or so shorter than Einar and just as hefty in mass. They wielded weapons that while pitch-black were covered in crimson runes, their shadowy armours also sporting several blood-red symbols of power. He rushed toward the first one to behead it, but his blade got stuck in its spine, prompting him to roar as he pushed his blade downward with all of his strength, the large sword lit up with a crimson hue as he poured his strength into it.
A second later the monster¡¯s head fell on the floor and burned away but Einar was also tackled by another one of the wretches, making him skid on the ground for a few feet before grinding to a halt. He roared with a wave of rising anger as his hair caught ablaze, his draconic pride challenged by the monster that was soon kicked back with a powerful stomp. A red haze began to fall on his mind as he ran toward the monsters, swinging his blade with the intent to destroy them. He received as many cuts as he dealt to his enemies, both his armour and his skin riddled with bloody lines.
One by one his enemies fell before him but at a great cost as he too was bleeding from several wounds, barely standing on his feet as the last one dropped in front of him. He stabbed his blade into the ground to lean on it, the strength granted by his draconic pride leaving him fast. The remains of his enemies burned away, their flames floating toward the altar as a golden circle appeared in front of it. When he walked over and stepped into the circle, the barrier that surrounded the proving ground began to fade away.
The seeker held his drinking horn toward the head-sized cloud of flames, burning droplets falling into it as the cloud shrank and soon disappeared. The young giant drank the searing hot liquid in one go, its heat spreading across his body with a newfound power as his wounds closed without a trace. On the altar in front of him were four items of interest, the first one being the usual handful of golden coins. He put them away while his eyes lingered on the rest of his earnings, the second one being a thumb-sized piece of amber with a droplet of... golden blood in it.
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The moment he grabbed the amber it cracked apart and the blood seeped out of it. A searing hot pain struck him as the blood touched his fingers, his body absorbing it in an instant. His heart began to pound wildly as the heat rushed through his very being, but it disappeared as fast as it came, leaving him with more questions than he wanted. The third reward was a rune unlike any before as it was etched on a piece of black metal, glowing with a bloody red hue.
¡®It¡¯s just like the ones those Netherworld wretches had on their arms and armour.¡¯ He thought to himself while putting it away, turning his attention toward the final reward. It was a tiny stone figurine that depicted a warrior who held a severed head above himself as if to proclaim his victory. ¡®It¡¯s likely another relic.¡¯ The seeker hummed as he pocketed the figurine. With nothing left to do at the altar, Einar had to make a decision
Should he continue his journey toward the mountain where he believed the ninth trial to be what should it try to find the others before trying his luck with the last challenge of the island? While he wanted to continue, returning to them had its benefits as R¨²na could help him make use of his rewards and telling them about the trials in advance was as good a payment as any.
With the decision made it turned around and leapt into the air, turning into his raven form to fly away. A day of travelling later he found what he was looking for, a sizeable group of God-marked walking along the ancient for his path toward the seventh trial. For a moment they seemed anxious and ready to aim their bows at him but they soon recognized his winged form and relaxed. Einar landed not far from them, returning to his normal form before approaching them.
¡°Hail, chosen of Harald!¡± The Vikings at the front of the group greeted him, earning a nod in return.
¡°Einar.¡± A familiar voice called out to him, Brynhildr and the leaders of the other kingdom¡¯s warriors walking closer.
¡°What news do you bring, winged giant?¡± The leader of the desert kingdom¡¯s people asked with a somewhat shaky tone, the man¡¯s eyes jumping between the seeker and the different parts of the forest around them.
¡°I¡¯ve found the seventh and the eighth trials,¡± he answered curtly. ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re about another hour or two of walking away from the seventh.¡±
¡°I imagine you¡¯ve already conquered them.¡± Takeshi asked with a knowing look in his eyes as he walked closer.
¡°I did,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I decided to come back to find you all before trying my luck with the last one.¡±
¡°Do you already know where it is?¡± The leader of the desert people asked surprised.
¡°Not for sure but if my guess is right, it will most likely be found on top of the last mountain ahead of us.¡±
¡°It seems that we are not the only ones to believe it would be located there,¡± Hanako greeted him as she walked closer, followed by her protector. ¡°Welcome back, Einar of the Arnessen Clan. I¡¯m glad to see you safely return to us even if just for a short while. Care to tell us about your ventures while we continue our journey?¡±
¡°There¡¯s not much to tell but sure.¡± The young giant agreed as the large group slowly began to walk forward.
Einar did as asked and spent the following half an hour telling them about how he found and conquered the seventh trial. He also told them about the lake and the strange creatures, Hanako telling him that they were most likely creatures native to their ancestral land known as Kappa. It was a strange name, but judging by what the fox-eared woman said, they usually lived in rivers and lakes. As for the giant turtle with the tree, she believed it to be a guardian spirit of nature, protecting the tree so that its fruits could only be claimed by the worthy.
Einar then continued with his tale, of telling them about the eighth trial as well, most of them letting out a breath of relief as they found out that it was a straight-on battle against mortal creatures instead of some cryptic challenge. When he was finally done recalling the events of the past days, the giant decided to voice his questions that gnawed at him since he joined the group.
¡°I noticed that people are... tense,¡± he said quietly to Arvid and R¨²na who joined him while he was explaining the eighth trial to the others. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°That Oni thing attacked and killed a few people yesterday.¡± A warrior answered with a whisper.
¡°What happened?¡± He looked at them with a steadily darkening mood.
¡°We were in the middle of breaking camp when a scout from one of the teams patrolling the area burst through the forest covered in blood, screaming like a madman that they were attacked by the Oni,¡± R¨²na explained. ¡°As it turned out, they weren¡¯t the only ones. Three of the five guard teams got killed.¡±
¡°Everyone has been on edge since then,¡± Arvid remarked. ¡°We¡¯ve been marching non-stop for hours with barely any rest. Then we slept huddled together in a small clearing with fires surrounding us and folks taking guard shifts throughout the night.¡±
¡°You make it sound like that thing is hunting you.¡±
¡°Because it does,¡± R¨²na agreed with him. ¡°It¡¯s following us, waiting for the chance to kill us off one by one. Hanako says it¡¯s doing so because it can somehow take a part of our power after killing us.¡±
¡°Take our... power?¡± Einar looked at her surprised.
¡°The one thing common among the people whom it killed was that their hearts were missing. She said that the Oni ate it. That¡¯s how it grows stronger.¡±
¡°Worst still,¡± Arvid chimed in. ¡°Is that it can¡¯t do the trials any more, so it will be trapped on this island once we leave. Along with the sailors and the freed thralls.¡±
¡°Damn.¡± The seeker shuddered at the thought of what slaughter the Oni would do once left without anyone to challenge it.¡°Did you get anything good from the trials?¡± R¨²na asked, trying to shift in their conversation.
¡°I did,¡± the giant nodded as he handed over the pair of runes. ¡°What can you tell me about these?¡±
¡°Oh,¡± the forgemaiden hummed as she took hold of the grey stone and black metal runes. ¡°They are powerful in their own right. The granite one is meant to increase your... presence, if I understand it right. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to make people pay more attention to your words. I would need to meld it into your chest armour. For the other one, it¡¯s a weapon rune that drains your enemy¡¯s life with each wound while healing you simultaneously.¡±
¡°A life-steal rune,¡± Arvid said from the side with envy. ¡°You really are favoured by the gods. Such a treasure must be worth a king¡¯s ransom.¡±
¡°If you want me to use these on your kit, you¡¯ll have to wait until we reach the seventh trial ground.¡±
¡°Fine by me,¡± the seeker shrugged. ¡°At least you can tell me more about what has happened since we last met.¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to be boring compared to your adventures.¡± Arvid claimed before starting up a tale about the past few days.
Book: 1 Ch. 42 The final trial?
¡°Did Brynhildr say anything about hunting it down?¡±
¡°Not much really,¡± R¨²na sighed. ¡°They hope that the thing will be foolish enough to attack us head-on so that we can overwhelm it, but we all know that won¡¯t happen. Most of the people from the other groups just want to finish the trial so that they can move on to the next island without trouble.¡±
¡°As if that place would be any safer than this one,¡± Arvid remarked. ¡°The moment we step on the shores of the next island the truce will be gone and everyone will be back at each other¡¯s throats again.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly why nobody wants to risk weakening their group,¡± a feminine voice resounded from the side as Alcmene of Sitos joined the three. ¡°They don¡¯t want to lose more people before the inevitable battles.¡±
¡°Alcmene,¡± the seeker greeted him. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you among your people.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t there,¡± she noted. ¡°I was in one of the teams scouting on both sides of the road a few hundred feet into the forest.¡±
¡°No sign of the Oni yet?¡± The forgemaiden asked, earning a slight head shake from the woman.
¡°If it¡¯s here then it knows how to hide and stalk an aware prey. I doubt it will show itself until we lower our guard.¡±
¡°What about you, Einar,¡± she asked. ¡°What brought you back to us?¡±
¡°I came back to tell the others about the seventh and the eighth trials before making my way to the last one.¡±
¡°Were they as challenging as the ones before?¡±
¡°In a way.¡± The young giant claimed, spending some time re-telling his experiences.
Soon they reached the clearing where the seventh trial took place, the tired God-marked letting out a sigh of relief as they began to make camp for the night. Einar decided to spend the night there as well, planning to leave the morning after that. While the other warriors were busy making small barricades and pitching tents, the seeker followed R¨²na to the side. The forgemaiden took the runes along with Einar¡¯s armour and sword, summoning her fiery hammer so that she could do her work. When she was done, R¨²na let out a deep breath while swiping her forehead with her clothes.
¡°We haven¡¯t talked about it before but I have a question for you,¡± she said with a sombre tone. ¡°Will you come back for us after you finish the ninth trial or will you leave for the next island as soon as possible?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± he admitted as the two sat down beside the small campfire near R¨²na¡¯s tent. ¡°Only the trial of divinity is left, which doesn¡¯t sound like something where we¡¯re meant to fight.¡±
¡°Neither was the trial of the mind and yet it still poured a vat of monsters in your neck if you answered the riddles wrong.¡±
¡°Fair enough,¡± the seeker relented. ¡°Speaking of divinity, have ever tried to... pray to yourself?¡±
¡°I did,¡± she claimed. ¡°It ended up pretty badly though.¡±
¡°Worst hangover you¡¯ve ever had?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the forgemaiden chuckled. ¡°It was as if father decided to smash me in the head with his hammer.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why have it if we can¡¯t make use of it?¡±
¡°We can but as it turns out there¡¯s a catch to it. One needs their divinity to be at twenty or above to do so, even though there¡¯s no mention of it anywhere. I only know that because I spoke with one of the shamans before and she told me that only a few champions of old were able to achieve that.¡±
¡°That would explain why I failed earlier.¡± He remarked as he placed his tent beside the others.
¡°Will you leave in the morning?¡± Arvid asked while the group sat down beside the newly lit campfire.
That is the plan. It will take at least two days to reach the mountain if not more.
¡°And you want to be the first one to do it,¡± the man noted. ¡°The trial of divinity. I hope they don¡¯t expect us to successfully pray to ourselves without having a divinity of twenty.¡±
¡°Maybe they will be expecting some kind of ritual offering for them,¡± R¨²na added from the side. ¡°I mean, they couldn¡¯t expect us to do what you said, since no one amongst us would pass.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll find it out sooner or later,¡± Einar sighed as he watched the thin strips of meat Arvid hang above the fire sizzle. ¡°Just try not to take too long to reach it or I¡¯ll hunt down the beast of the other islands by the time you get there.¡±
¡°Sure you will.¡± Arvid laughed while turning the meat skewers over the flames.
A strange silence fell on the group, one of them knowing what to say. The seeker knew that if he left, the next time they would meet, they might do so as enemies. After having an early dinner, Einar washed down by the nearby creek and turned in to sleep, his slumber shattered by a blood-churning scream. He got out of his tent and Drew his blade, eyes turned toward the sound of the screams.
At the far end of the camp, he could faintly see someone fighting what he believed to be a bear at first. As he ran closer, the faint lights or the nearby campfires revealed to him that it was not a bear but the Oni from the Falling Sun Empire. It swung its large mace-like weapon to crush one of the guards, a young warrior from the desert kingdom. Einar leapt toward the side of the human-shaped monster, slashing downward with his already blazing sword, the Oni managing to block it with its spiked club at the last moment.
The burning sword cut halfway through the club, its fire spreading across the hardwood. The Oni roared at him, trying to yank away its weapon, but several golden lights flashed by Einar''s face, striking the monster. The seeker watched his enemy jerk back with jagged movements as golden rectangles appeared on its body, releasing bright chains wreathed in lightning. He watched as the storm-wrought chains paralysed the Oni while he yanked his weapon free, taking another swing at it. The blade fell through the sky toward the head of the creature, but the lightning chains snapped and it managed to raise its felt arm while pushing its body backwards.
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Einar¡¯s sword still managed to reach the Oni and cut through its arm, severing it below the elbow. It roared in pain while kicking Einar away with a heavy stomp in the stomach, the seeker sliding back several feet. More of the golden lights flew toward the Oni but it dodged and turned to run, both a burning and an ordinary spear striking its back before it ran away into the forest. Einar stood there panting, his hand still shaking from the force he threw the fiery spear with while Brynhildr slowly walked closer to him.
¡°Are you alright?¡± She asked with a slight worry.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said with a sigh as he looked at the corpses of the guard team that got killed by the Oni. ¡°They¡¯re not.¡±
¡°How could this happen?¡± the leader of the Eastern Alliance asked, fuming with anger. ¡°There are supposed to be more guards patrolling around the camp.¡±
¡°There were,¡± Takeshi said from the side. ¡°They just switched guards half an hour ago. The Oni must have waited until this side of the camp only had a few people guarding it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s getting smarter,¡± Hanako remarked while joining the group. ¡°Katashi must have been feeding on beasts with high wisdom in the past days if he''s gaining back so much of his clarity.¡±
¡°That just makes him more of a danger to us,¡± the leader of the desert kingdoms¡¯ God-marked said while looking at Einar. ¡°And you. You are supposed to be the best of your ilk. The strongest warrior of the Vikings. How could you fail to kill that thing when it was down on its knees before you, bound like an animal?¡±
¡°It broke the bindings too fast,¡± Hanako stopped the man with her words. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been able to do that unless its divinity and willpower were at least fifteen or higher.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s your fault, fox.¡±
¡°Watch your words, sand-crawler.¡± The woman¡¯s protector said with a low but forceful tone.
¡°Rokuro,¡± she called out to him. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s no one¡¯s fault. None of us could have known that the Oni would grow so strong so fast.¡±
¡°It¡¯s wounded,¡± Brynhildr remarked as she pointed toward the severed arm lying on the ground beside the damaged wooden club. ¡°Do you think it can regrow a lost limb?¡±
¡°No,¡± the fox-eared woman shook her head. ¡°Not yet at least. Elder Oni are capable of doing it, but Katashi is far too young and weak to do it.¡±
¡°So, it got weakened by a large amount.¡±
¡°Prepare to hunt,¡± Brynhildr yelled to her people. ¡°This had gone on long enough.¡±
¡°Are you planning on hunting it in the dark?¡± The leader of the Eastern Alliance asked baffled.
¡°We can¡¯t let it escape, or it will come for us again when we least expect it.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± Takeshi stopped Brynhildr in her steps. ¡°Hunting a wounded and desperate beast during the night is suicide. If you want to hunt it down, then wait for the sun to rise.¡±
¡°But¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s right,¡± the leader of the desert kingdom¡¯s people remarked. ¡°Hunting in a thick forest at night is foolish. That¡ thing doesn¡¯t heal fast and now that is so heavily wounded, it will further weaken due to losing blood.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll head after it once the sun rises.¡± Takeshi stated as he turned toward his group and left.
Einar cleaned his weapon while listening to their talks, letting out a sigh as he turned to head back to his tent.
¡°Are you hurt?¡± Hanako asked from the side but he just shook his head.
¡°Nothing that won¡¯t heal with some rest.¡±
¡°Then rest,¡± she said with a relieved sigh while turning toward her protector. ¡°There¡¯s still a few scarce hours till sunrise and I believe we could all use some sleep.¡±
The seeker lay back down on his bedroll and soon drifted off to sleep. A kick into his boots waking him sometime later. Looking up, he saw Arvid standing in front of his tent.
¡°The sun is about to rise,¡± he said. ¡°If you want to go, you better do it now while the people are busy with other things.¡±
Einar groaned in agreement and got out of his tent, packing it up before taking some food supplies offered by his friend.
¡°Take care of yourself out there,¡± Arvid noted. ¡°I¡¯ve already gone ahead and conquered the seventh trial an hour ago. As soon as R¨²na gets up, I¡¯ll make sure she does the same.¡±
¡°Are you not joining the others on the hunt for the Oni?¡± The seeker asked, earning a slight head shake.
¡°I¡¯m not keen on hunting that thing even if it lost an arm,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for R¨²na and a couple of other people to finish conquering the trial then we''ll head out toward the next one. Hopefully, by the time you reach and conquer the final challenge, we¡¯ll be on our way to it as well.¡±
¡°Good luck then.¡± Einar said as the two clasped hands for a shake before the seeker leapt into the air, turning into his raven form to fly away.
Days passed by with the seeker travelling along the ancient path before he finally reached the foot of the last mountain of the island. Unlike the previous two, the last mountain had a clear path leading up to its summit that moved in a serpent-like way on the steep rocks. Einar used his Raven form to fly as high as he could before landing on the path to continue on foot.
By the time he reached the top, the sun was already falling. The seeker imagined many possible things he would have to face in the last trial but what he found up there made him stop in his tracks. The top of the mountain held a small valley of sorts with three figures waiting by the altar in the middle. Einar hesitated for a moment but as he walked closer he recognized one of the three.
¡°Harald?¡± He asked baffled, the white-haired man giving him a nod as he waved him closer.
¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? Come. There¡¯s nothing to fear.¡±
The seeker slowly walked closer, finding that the other two beside Harald were a beautiful woman and a warrior who was as tall as Einar and was covered in many tattoos.
¡°Welcome, child,¡± the woman said with a soft and reassuring tone as she smiled at him. ¡°No need to worry, we¡¯re only here to talk with you. I¡¯m sure you have many questions for my husband but I hope you will first listen to what we have to say.¡±
¡°Lady Svanhildr.¡± Einar bowed slightly as he realized that he was staring at the queen of the gods herself.
¡°A well-mannered lad,¡± the warrior from the side nodded. ¡°Not like the other one that is still lurking in the shadows. Show yourself, boy! You are not in danger and whatever we are to tell Einar is meant for you as well.¡±
¡°It is meant for all of them.¡± Svanhildr remarked as she reached up toward the sky, a nearby bird freezing in the air amidst panicked screeches as an unseen force dragged it down to the ground.
It was surrounded by a puff of black smoke that when dissipated, revealed a terrified youth with a familiar face.
¡°Arvid?¡± The young giant asked with a clear surprise as he stared at his friend who was as white as fresh snow.
¡°There is no need to worry, little one,¡± Svanhildr said with a gentle smile. ¡°We are not going to harm you, even though you were meant to harm us.¡±
Book: 1 Ch. 43 The farewell of the gods
¡°I...¡±
¡°Wait, what? How¡¡± Einar looked at them puzzled.
¡°Your friend here is from another world,¡± the warrior beside the goddess said calmly. ¡°The old world to be precise.¡±
Arvid turned even paler as he heard those words, but Harald¡¯s chuckle made him freeze.
¡°Did you really think we would not notice a child from the old world appearing here? Not to mention one carrying Loki¡¯s magic? He might be the god of trickery but we had more than the millennia to learn and surpass his magic. His protective and hiding spells lasted for maybe an hour or so after your arrival before we realised who you were.¡±
¡°But then...¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t we kill you?¡± Svanhildr asked with a calm tone. ¡°Unlike those monsters back in the old world, we¡¯re not in the habit of killing children.¡±
While she was saying that, stone chairs rose from the ground in a circular shape with a fireplace forming in the middle.
¡°Sit.¡± Harald pointed at two of the seats while he and the other two gods sat on the other side of the small but welcome fire.
¡°Tell us, Arvid,¡± he asked with a calm tone. ¡°What did the old gods tell you about this place? About us.¡±
¡°They told me that you were traitors who robbed them of their power and left them to die on Earth.¡± The young man answered after a long moment of silence.
¡°Half true, half a lie.¡± The tattooed warrior remarked beside the queen of the gods.
¡°Loki was always good at those.¡± Svanhildr added.
¡°So was Odin,¡± Harald hummed in agreement. ¡°And I take it you were sent here to find a way to do what? Kill us? To help them get to our world?¡±
¡°I... I was supposed to find a way to help them cross over so they could punish you.¡±
The warrior beside Svanhildr began to laugh with such force that the mountaintop shook with him.
¡°Calm down Steinar,¡± the queen of the gods chided. ¡°You¡¯re scaring the children.¡±
¡®He¡¯s Steiner, the god of war?¡¯ Einar looked at the man with a newfound respect and a slight fear.
¡°Sorry about that,¡± Steinar sighed. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stop myself after hearing such lunacy. What did they expect a bunch of children to do?¡±
¡°A bunch,¡± the seeker muttered as he looked at the terrified Arvid. ¡°There¡¯s more than one?¡±
¡°About two dozen,¡± Svanhildr stated. ¡°Four or five or three for each group of gods.¡±
¡°Not that it matters,¡± Harald sighed. ¡°By the time you are finished with the trials on these islands, the war between us and the old gods will be over.¡±
¡°But... they said...¡±
¡°I am sure they told you a lot of things,¡± the queen of the gods said as she stood up and walked over to Arvid. ¡°Loki most likely even named you his champion, giving you a tiny sliver of his power so that you could prevail in your important task.¡±
As she said those words, she caressed the young man¡¯s face before her fingers trailed down towards his throat. One of her fingers hooked around something invisible and she pulled at it, faint threads of magic appearing around Arvid¡¯s neck. He hissed in pain for a moment before the threads snapped, burning away as they fell from the queen¡¯s finger.
¡°There,¡± she said with a smile as she returned to her seat. ¡°Your leash is now torn. You are free, child.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Arvid couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking. ¡°Why would you do that for me? I¡¯m your enemy.¡±
¡°No, you are not,¡± she shook her head. ¡°You are just a child, tricked into fighting someone else¡¯s war. Just like we were once.¡±
¡°I do not know what your world is like today,¡± Harald spoke with a saddened tone. ¡°But back in our day, it was a world ripe with war and suffering. The gods were cruel, expecting sacrifices and worship, taking petty vengeance against anyone who dared to oppose them.¡±
¡°Back then, we were champions in name only,¡± Steinar added from the side. ¡°In truth, we were slaves, collared the same way you were just until a moment ago.¡±
¡°As the time for Ragnar?k was nearing, Odin and some of the leaders of the other lands¡¯ gods gathered together to create a truce to find a way to escape the end of the world. They found a way to travel to another realm that was untouched, yet brimming with power.¡±
¡°We were meant to lead a portion of the mortals over to this world, preparing a gateway for them to stabilise the path between the world so that they too could pass over to this side.¡± Svanhildr added.
¡°But you didn¡¯t,¡± Arvid finally spoke up. ¡°You betrayed them and left them on Earth.¡±
¡°We all did,¡± Steinar stated with a heavy tone. ¡°No matter which kingdom we came from, all of the champions agreed that this was our best chance to get rid of our shackles and start a new life away from our cruel gods.¡±
¡°Thanks to the bountiful resources of this world and the gratitude of the people, we rose to godhood ourselves and sealed the path so that they could not follow us.¡± Svanhildr added.
¡°But it was not a perfect seal,¡± Harald sighed as he stared into the flames. ¡°It lasted for over a millennia but now it cracked and they broke through. We managed to fight them off for now, but they are desperate and that makes them dangerous.¡±
¡°They were willing to sacrifice some of their own to gain enough strength temporarily so they could fight us. Now we have only one choice.¡±
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¡°You¡¯re fattening us up so that you could do the same.¡± Arvid said with a distrustful tone.
¡°No,¡± the goddess looked at him with both shock and pain. ¡°We would never sacrifice the future of this world for a hollow victory.¡±
¡°This trial is meant to find our successors.¡± Steinar stated with a firm voice that made both of the God-marked shudder.
¡°Your.... successors?¡± Einar asked, both surprised and afraid of their explanation.
¡°The only way we can make sure that the old gods never reach this world is to completely sever the path between the two realms.¡± The All-father claimed.
¡°To do so, we would need to make a sacrifice big enough to shatter the path,¡± Svanhildr spoke with a shaky voice that felt weaker by the moment. ¡°Even if all of you children became demigods, you would not be able to help with it.¡±
¡°You want to...¡±
¡°All of the gods from all of the kingdoms have agreed,¡± Harald began to explain. ¡°We will all give our lives in a final ritual, releasing our power at the same time, thus shattering the path between the worlds.¡±
¡°But... what about us?¡± Einar finally managed to mutter the question after a few moments of shock.
¡°I am sorry, child,¡± the goddess sighed. ¡°By the time you finish the trials and leave these islands, we will be gone. The Fates will be there to aid whoever becomes our successor and we have all recorded our wisdom in many tomes, but the Hall of the Gods will be empty upon your arrival.¡±
Einar felt a chilling pain in his chest as he listened to Svanhildr speak, tears slowly trickling down his face. Glancing to the side, he noticed that Arvid was shedding tears as well, despite being sent here to sabotage the very same gods that now sat across from them. The Gentle Queen stood up, her face filled with motherly love as she walked closer, reaching down to wipe their tears away.
¡°Do not cry for us,¡± she said with a faint tone. ¡°Grow strong, wise and kind enough to be able to take up our mantle once we leave. That is how you can honour our sacrifice and be worthy of becoming the new gods of this realm.¡±
¡°She is right,¡± Harald nodded in agreement. ¡°With us gone this world will turn darker and much more dangerous than what you are used to. Without us to keep them at bay, the horrors lurking in the dark will make their way toward the mortals.¡±
¡°It will be up to you to fend them off and keep the mortal kingdoms safe,¡± Steinar added with a grim look on his face. ¡°You will also have to keep the other gods in check. As you already know, the truce we made with the other kingdoms¡¯ gods will only protect you on the first island. Once you reach the second one, battles will be inevitable. Both with the other kingdoms and amongst yourselves.¡±
¡°It gladdened my heart to see both of you making a life among the people of the other kingdoms. Should they make it to the end and become gods themselves, that could prove helpful in keeping the peace between the people.¡± Svanhildr remarked after sitting back down.
¡°Although you have made allies,¡± Steinar spoke up. ¡°You have also made many enemies. You burn too bright and many will want to claim that fire for themselves. There will be a lot of bloodshed along the path of your ascension.¡±
As they talked, the flames of the small campfire began to flicker with a silver hue.
¡°It seems the time allotted for our meeting is nearing its end,¡± Harald stated as he slowly stood up. ¡°Einar, I want you to know that I am proud to have a descendant like you.¡±
¡°Descendant,¡± the young giant looked at him baffled. ¡°I¡¯m your descendant?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the god nodded. ¡°Along with every Arnessen walking this world.¡±
¡°Then why...¡±
¡°Why were you not born a God-marked? The Fates claimed that your path will steer that way on its own so I chose to heed their warning and did not interfere. Still, you have proven your worth and your ability to grow both in strength and in wisdom. Never forsake that curiosity that leads you on. It will help you become what you need to be.¡±
After saying those words, the All-father stepped closer to hug the young seeker and nodded to the other two.
¡°Young Arvid,¡± Svanhildr called out to the warrior. ¡°Although you are not born into this world, I hope you will come to love it as much as those who did. Take care of this realm and it will take care of you. Do not let the scars of your past chain you down.¡±
As she stepped back, Steinar too decided to say a few parting words.
¡°Although you might think that these lands only hold monsters and riches, they also hold a power unlike any other in this realm. Time moves slower the further inland you will go. It went half the pace on this island compared to the outside world but the second island and a few of its shards will keep your day at a week¡¯s pace while the last one will exact a month for each of your days. Do not linger more than necessary or you might find that even if you got free of this land, no one will wait for you at home.¡±
Einar froze up as he heard those words, the thought of years or even decades passing in the guise of days making him shudder.
¡°With this, your ninth trial is considered conquered,¡± Harald said as he smiled at them. ¡°Step up to the altar one after the other and claim your prize. Whether you forge ahead to the next island or wait for the others is up to you but know that you cannot return to this mountain again. Only those who have yet to speak with us can do so. Farewell and may you succeed on your path to greatness.¡±
¡°Live well and do not forget our sacrifice.¡± Svanhildr said finally before the three gods disappeared in a flash of light.
The young giant stood there frozen for a minute or so before he finally gathered the strength to speak.
¡°They¡¯re... gone.¡±
¡°Do you think they told us the truth?¡± Arvid asked incredulously.
¡°I believe they did,¡± Einar answered as he walked closer to the altar that burst into golden flames. ¡°When Lady Svanhildr spoke, I felt the same thing from her I did when my mother was saying her goodbyes. She wanted to say more but was too hurt to do it.¡±
¡°So what now?¡±
¡°Now we claim their farewell gift and move on,¡± the seeker stated as he held out his drinking horn toward the golden cloud that appeared on top of the altar once the flames died down. ¡°Becoming a god is the best way to thank them for what they¡¯re going to do.¡±
Once the cloud filled the horn with divine nectar, he drank it and looked at the rest of his gifts. A handful of gold coins, an obsidian rune and a figurine depicting a praying man. He put them away and let Arvid get his due rewards while trying to make sense of what he was told by the gods. It still felt unreal that the gods that protected their world for so long were about to die, sacrificing themselves to protect the realm one last time. It weighed on him heavily, but before he could sink too deep into his thoughts, a pat on the shoulder snapped him out of it.
¡°That was quite an unexpected meeting, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯
¡°It was, Arvid of Earth.¡± Einar said jokingly, earning a slight flinch from him.
¡°Could you keep that between us? I doubt the others would be so friendly after they found out.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind it as long as you don¡¯t keep other secrets between us.¡±
¡°I promise not to keep any secrets that would come to bite you in the ass. So... will you be heading toward the other island now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s the plan. I mean, you heard Steinar. Time moves slower there. By the time I make camp, you and R¨²na will likely arrive as well.¡±
¡°You think I¡¯ll wait for her?¡±
¡°I know you will,¡± the seeker claimed. ¡°You¡¯re like a lost puppy without her.¡±
¡°Fuck you,¡± the young warrior flipped him off before raising his hand forward. ¡°Good luck out there and try not to get yourself killed before we get there!¡±
¡°Stay safe, Arvid!¡± Einar raised his hand for a shake, then walked toward the edge of the mountain, looking out into the distance.
He could hear his friend¡¯s footsteps growing distant as the warrior left the summit. The young giant looked down through the scarce clouds toward the distant island that was separated by miles of dark and turbid sea. Letting out a deep and troubled breath, Einar finally leapt off the mountain, falling for a few seconds before he turned into his raven form, gliding toward the sea and the new adventures that awaited him.
End of book one