Vrakings

It was a bright day in the region of Rennes and the people of a certain village were running from one place to another. Some were giving orders while at the same time men and women collaborated so they can finish setting the stands and lights for the festival that would begin at midnight.

In the middle of the village, a giant statue stood up. It was the hero and founder of the village. According to the legends, a group of nomads were wandering around a valley when suddenly some strange creatures attacked them. As they had been fighting for generations, the defense presented by the nomads allowed them to resist for a time. However, the creatures rose the intensity of their attacks and soon they started to slaughter the nomads.

While they were been kill, big dark clouds started to surround the sky and suddenly, a crimson lighting hit the ground. From that place, a person appeared and started to kill the strange creatures. Stupefied, the nomads recovered their wind and turn around the situation. After all the creatures were slain, the stranger approached the nomads and began laughing.

"Hahaha, what a fine a passionate race you are. Even though you were been slaughtered, you didn´t falter and instead, fought till the very end. You have my praise mortals. Few people can fight with those creatures and gain my commendation.

As a token of it, this valley will be fertile for a thousand generations. Settle down here and your lives will be blessed with my power" the stranger said while fading away.

In the end, the survivors decided to accept the offer of their savior. Soon enough, a village was built and life flourished.

Time passed and generations grew. Unfortunately, the firsts nomads had a single defect as a race: they could only have a single offspring in their lives. As a result, the village grew at a slow pace.

But the blessing of the stranger over the valley not only allowed them to cultivate the land, it also protected them from invaders and beasts. The valley was surrounded by high mountains and the only entrance was through a marsh that was like a labyrinth.

Unfortunately, all good things no last for eternity. The valley began turning infertile and the only source of water, a lake that stood in the middle of it, was drying out at a concerning speed. The snow that once existed at the mountains had melted a long time ago. The beasts that wandered on the mountains increased their numbers and also developed ferocious traits. To make it worse, thousands of years ago a group of armored men crossed the marsh and forced the villagers to submit to the reign of a family. Taxes were established and the free race that once lived in peace, was forced into obedience.

Despite the harsh lives that they suffered, the free race never lost their pride. They continue living and celebrating the traditional festival that their forefathers taught them. So, every 24 of the seventh month of the year, the villagers would celebrate the foundation and survival of their race.

One will ask what type of race they were no? They considered themselves as the free race, but the conquerors humans called them "Vrakings". They were a tall race and once one reached adulthood, they will be at least 7 feet tall. Also, all the men have golden hair and blue eyes, while the women´s hairs will be black, and the color of their eyes were green. Both, men a women possess an enormous strength that was originated from a cultivation technique imparted by the stranger before leaving. Thanks to it they were able to perform arduous tasks.

Even though they had an unparallel strength, they were forced to submit in front of the numerous soldiers and their sorceries, which they called "Magic". To add salt to the wound, they were forced to share their cultivation technique and soon it was imparted along all the human and demi-human kingdoms.

"Breon!! hurry and bring the barrels to the food area" said a woman.

"In a minute dear" replied a handsome man.

As the vrakings were finishing the preparations, a woman was resting at the foot of the statue.

"I hope you can be born soon. There a lot of things I want to teach you" she said while caressing her belly. It was clear that she was pregnant and for some reason her belly was bigger than the other women she had seen. "Jejeje, I suppose you will be taller that your father" she exclaimed with a cute voice.

Night fell and the vrakings were getting in high mood waiting the beginning of the festival. It would start with the war drums played by some warriors for a minute and followed by the chief of the village, that would roar a war cry. Then there would be a dance between the married couples forming a circle while the young generations would recite prayers and the elders play the music.

As the full moon was reaching the highest point on the sky, Hilda started to feel that her baby will be born soon. When she discovered that she was pregnant, happiness invaded her. Not only since a new life was growing inside her but also, because the baby would be born near the date of the festival. From ancient times, the women in the village have tried to give birth on the festival day but none were able to do it. There was a legend saying that the one born during the festival will have a great future and will bring the golden era of their race.

One could imagine the surprise and happiness of Breon and Hilda as they thought about it. The whole village was thrown into turmoil and soon Hilda was treated with more respect and care by everyone. The vrakings don´t have envious emotions among themselves, only a bond of brotherhood. On the day that they were attacked, many vrakings gave their lives for the sake of the village despite being killed by the humans.

"Breon!!! Where are you?!?! Come immediately!!! It´s coming!!!" roared Hilda.

Her husband who was talking with his friends stopped and runned towards her.

"How it´s possible?!?! There are still a few weeks left!!" he exclaimed in surprise.

"I don´t know!!! Just take me to Mama Yer!! Hurry!!!" she shouted.

As Breon carried Hilda, the villagers noticed the turn of events and started celebrating. While they were talking among them, sounds were heard.

BUM!!.... BUM!!.... BUM BUM!!...

All noise disappeared. The village chief appeared and roared a war cry that was loud enough to cover the entire village. But after that, he yelled towards the vrakings: "Hilda is going into labor, for the sake of our race we will perform the most perfect ritual, no one is allowed to fail it!!!"

Soon everybody started to play their parts. The dance between the couples were more synchronized, the younger generations recited feverish the prays and the elders played the music as if their lives depended on it.

Meanwhile, Hilda was shouting and bleeding on bed surrounded by 6 female elders. Mama Yer who was the spouse of the village chief, was giving instructions to the other elders.

"Fourth and Sixth elders, bring more water and towels"

"Second elder, prepare the pill of nourishment"

"Third elder, dissolve the blood pill in glass of a rhino milk"

"Fifth elder, create a protection barrier"

"Grand elder, you will receive the baby" "I´ll transfer my energy to the mother and child, otherwise they will not survive"

Time passed and Breon was walking desperately at the front of the chief's house. The villagers continued to perform the ritual with nonstop. Suddenly a crimson lightning fell above the house were Hilda was. However, a couple of minutes a second one fell.

If the villagers were shocked after the first lighting, the next one froze them. Silence reigned on the entire village. Suddenly, Breon entered the house and all the vrakings woke up while talking with surprised faces.

What met Breon as he entered was a shocking scene: the entire room was destroy and all the female elders were laying on the ground while coughing blood. The Grand elder was holding two babies and Mama Yer was unconscious beside Hilda.

"In the name of the ancestors, what have happened here?" he asked in coerced voice.