A Wolf

I left the camp behind, walking forwards, I could see the banners atop a hill, flaunting their clan like it was something to be proud of, now I had the stamina, and a moderately full stomach, I had to climb the jagged rocks before me, and pray to Odin that I wasn't too late to save my crew. It didn't take me long to climb the rocks, and there soon was a upward sloping path to follow, I crouched, for now I knew I grew closer to the enemy. Closer to Kjotve. I climbed to a high point in the mountain, and crouched on the edge, good, I could see a town in the distance, no doubt that's where Kjotve was holding my crew. "Avaldsnes, that's where he is holding my crew" it looked to be a far travel, but it clearly didn't take Kjotve long. I'd estimate, that with the distance I had to travel in foot, and how fast my raven might reach it, it had to be at least 700m away. Better get moving.

I was cold, and on my travels I came across a house, I quickly step inside and look around, my feet needed a short break anyway, and the freezing cold water that I had just been submerged in didn't make me feel any better. I walked to the table in hopes of any loot that might help me save my crew. Though I did find a letter, thank god my parents had taught me how to read. It was titled Kjotve's commands. With a name beneath it, Rikiwulf, I guessed that was whom it was addressed to? I continued to read it, my fingers brushing the old wrinkled and stained paper.

Kjotve's Commands

Rikiwulf

Prepare the child of Varin for the slavers.

You may use the others for your blood-sacrifice.

-Kjotve

I looted the chest to the side of the table, it didn't provide me with any more silver I currently had, which was only worth 10 silver, but it gave me resources which I desperately needed. Leather and iron ore, an equal amount of both. I ran a hand through my hair and looked to the door, I was halfway to Avaldsnes, it wouldn't take me long to get there and save my crew, not if I traveled at a sprint.

My sprint was halted as I reached the top of the hill, two of Kjotve's men stood guard at a small camp, though it seemed like they'd just set up a tent and a fire, I could avoid them, go around them, but would that mean trouble later on for me, for my crew, if I reached them in time, I could put them out of their misery right now. One well aimed arrow, and I'm sure I could get a surprise attack on them, especially as I was hidden in the bushes, or so I hoped. I took the bow from my back and held it in my left hand, I took an arrow from the quiver and pulled back the string, I needed to make this count. I aimed, I could hear the chatter of the guards, I moved my bow down slightly, my aim was no doubt off, I let go of the string and the clan man with his back turned to me went down immediately, much to the shock of the other guard who immediately freed his weapon.

I could have stayed hidden, but the first shot was lucky as the tall plants of cloudberry blocked my vision, I could stand but that would give my position away, screw it, I needed some blood spilled. I went to draw my axe but it seemed that as I edged closer, the man was inspecting the guard, I thought he would have attacked, perhaps Kjotve's men were as stupid as I believed, I knocked another arrow into my bow and shot him too, the string making a plucking sound as I let go. A grunt left his lips and I was out of the woods for now, a quick loot of their bodies and then on my way to Kjotve.

I ran as quick as I could, I looked above to my raven, he was showing me the way. Though I stopped and frowned, taking in my surroundings. "A clash of iron...there is fighting nearby" I said, I saw it then to my left, just as my hearing had heard it. I immediately began making my way to them, they were close, and I was positive I had time. I walked behind the fighting, to see a bulky strong man smashing the warrior in the head with his own shield, making blood spray. "Dag, you old hound, you live" I said slightly amused, drawing his attention. At least one of my crew was alive. He turned around and threw out his arms. "I do! Slipped away in the sword-clash. And what of you?" He asked stepping closer. "Kjotve tried to sell me off, a mistake he'll regret." I said crossing my arms as I told drag of my day. "Not today he won't. I saw him board a ship in Avaldsnes not long ago, sailed east, leaving our crew behind" he informed me, drags hands finding their way to his hips. "There must still be time to save our men. I will find them. You ready the longship." I said in return, feeling less angry, thankful that my crew may still be alive. "You glory hound! You would take the rescue for yourself, so the victory song is written about you?" He said with a faint amused tone. It was good to see him again, Dag never changed. "I could storm the beach then, slay two dozen men, seize our dragon-boat, and hoist the sail in triumph, up to you" I said with slight sarcasm as I gestured to him. Drag seemed insistent as I crossed my arms once more. "No. No, I will take the beach. A far more dangerous path. You search the longhouse for our crew" he said, kneeling down with his back turned to me, picking up the shield from the dead warrior. "O, and here...this corpse will not have need of it." He passed the shield to me, I didn't expect that, I'd have thought Dag to flaunt the rest of the men of the beach with their fallen warrior's shield, though this seemed the wisest option. I nodded in appreciation. "Go. I'll meet you by the ship." We extended arms and clasped them together, hand holding onto each others wrist, shaking it. We nodded to each other and I let him go, Dag heading to the beach. I equipped the light shield to my left hand as my right was strongest, and I began the journey to the longhouse. "Kjotve's warrior's crawl through Avaldsnes like live, if I use the main gate I may attract attention." I observed, then the back entrance it was, the longhouse stood in the centre of the little keep, and I couldn't climb over the walls as there were long wooden spikes that would be sure to injure me.

Sneaking in the back way was the better option, all the guards were mostly gathered around the front, this allowed me to use my gathered stamina to climb up the side of the longhouse, using the ledges of windows and frames of doors to climb my way up. My crew would be inside here. "There should be an opening in the roof" I panted as I crouched on the roof, I definitely needed a reduced profile now. There, a wooden box at the top of the longhouse provided me entrance inside, I could already see Kjotve's men inside, guarding and keeping my crew captives. I dropped to the roof beneath me, walking along the beam above Kjotve's men and their vile threats to my crew. I was going to enjoy spilling their blood. I dropped to the next level down, and jumped across to the beam, quickly regaining my balance I turned and aimed my arrow at the Norse warrior, pausing at what I saw. Kjotve's clan man raised his fist and punched the poor guy in the face, making him fall sideways with a gasp. I went to the edge of the longhouse and dropped to the floor, watching as the events unfolded, bow now slung across my back, only worried as my crewman made threats to the enemy. "You coward. Unbind me and stick am axe in my hand!" He said doubled over, I watched as the Norse warrior paced back and forth, I recognized my crewman as brag, and for the Norse warrior, I did not know. "I owe you nothing, raven-shit. Yours is a clan of Thrall's and peasants." I could see him eyeing up the axe on the table, I wouldn't let it get that far.

"You." I said standing up. "Lay that axe aside or die by mine" I said walking towards him, much to his surprise. "You should be on a slaves ship to Ireland! Wolf-Kissed!" He said. I knew who he was. Rikiwulf. "But if you wish to be my first Sacrifice, Odin will be more than happy to receive you." He said after I didn't respond. I narrowed my eyes, my hand slowly edging towards my axe. "You just killed yourself, ergi" I growled, ergi meaning coward, I found it much more satisfying to call him it in a different way.

I analysed the fight quickly, he had more armour, no doubt could take more hits than me, and had a long axe, a two handed one. I'd have to get in close and avoid his attacks of rage and get back out quickly. I ran towards him and he immediately went for a heavy blow, I retreated, jumping and doing a Roly poly out of the way as his axe hit the wooden floor of the longhouse, chipping it. "kneel Wolf-Kissed and I will spare your life" I heard behind me as i dodged his attack after a few successful ones from me. He was distracted, and I had drawn him away from my crew so no harm would come of them, I used my axe and went in for light attacks to stun him, he grunted and he tried doing another heavy attack, his axe hit caught in the wood and as he tried to yank it from the floor I bestowed my heavy attack into his back. He let go of the two handed axe and drew out two smaller weapons, an axe and a hammer. This was going to be interesting, though I knew, this fight. I would win. He wasted no time in swinging his meaty arms around, I could have parried his attacks with my axe, but my wrists still hurt from the shackles and ached from the climbing. I dodged, he made to kick me, and would have succeeded if I didn't put the shield there instead, I'd have to thank Dag for that later, he stumbled back, dazed by the failed attempt. I dealt him a heavy blow and then a parry of light ones to finish him off. I took the hammer from his hand and grabbed his arm as he fell onto his knees, I stretched out his arm and smashed the block of metal straight onto his elbow joint, he grunted, blood coming from the wound as his free arm went to hold his injured one from the pain.

I wielded my axe and put the shield on my back with my bow, leaving Rikiwulf to lay defeated on the ground. I walked over to the table that he had stood at moments ago, looking at the axe, I smiled, for now I did recognize it. "Father. You should have held onto this until the bitter end." I picked my father's axe up off the table, holding it up in front of me, the curved tip of the blade shining in the light, reminding me of that night the ring I had given to the king did too. I heard the ringing on my father's voice in my head.

"If I give my life. Will you spare my clan?"

I could hear the desperate cries of Rosta, my mother, screaming for varin to fight. To pick up his axe and fight.

"Varin, No! Pick up your axe!"

I gazed into the distance, the memories making my eyes water, wishing I could end Kjotve as I heard him yell.

"Kill them all"

I could almost hear it clearly, as if he was standing right behind me again, except this time it was different, it was my clan. And they would not die. Not by his hands. I closed my eyes, remembering the small plea that had left my mouth. I opened them again and tilted my head to the side, seeing the wolf standing on all fours a man stood at the side of it. I was nervous, I could hear it panting, but it did not attack, the large wooden doors opened, it felt as if I were dreaming, and I didn't know what to do.

So I followed the wolf.

I walked and walked, I couldn't see a thing in the room, it was all blacked out, save for the few torches that aligned the walls and the bright light shining through the open door. I followed them both, stepping into the light and outside, it looked exactly where I had just been, still in Avaldsnes, but the sky, the earth, the air, it was all red, a dark red, the looming tree in front of me silhouetted against the light red cloud's that filled the sky. I could hear a voice in the distance, a narrowed, tuned out voice calling my name. "Eivor....Eivor!"

I coughed and came to my senses, I was still holding the axe in my hands, staring at it, I was back inside the longhouse, listening to Bragi's complaints. "Eivor? Are you bewitched? Unbind us." He said with a soft voice. I lowered the axe, confused as ever. "What? O...yes, of course" I closed my eyes and groaned a little, my head hurt.

I made my way to Bragi, freeing him of the rope that bound his wrists together, and then the rooms with the metal caged doors that held the rest of my crew, I took note of the holders of arrows that lay the longhouse walls, reminding myself to loot as many as my quiver could hold before I left. With the threat now dead, I acquired more decent clothes, better armour for my battles. I know had the raven clan armour, sure it was heavier, but only by a little. I equipped that with the raven clan bracers, breeches and cloak. Much to provide me with warmth, and protection for my hands as I used my bow with the strips of leather covering my fingers. I held my father's blade in my hand, Varin's axe and kept use of the shield in case I came across any more trouble, men or wolves alike.

Brag spoke as I opened the cage door. "Well fought, Wolf-Kissed, even if your wits were somewhat rattled." He said as he ran off, ready as I was to head home. "Listen here, if you can breathe, you can fight. Now come, we take back our ship." I told them. Bragi came beside me, eager to spill blood. "You do not need to tell us twice" I clenched my jaw and jogged over to Brag who was at the door, I helped him open it.

The first thing I see is a big group of Kjotve's men standing together, now aware that I wasn't on a ship to Island and that my clan weren't dead, and most of all, were we armed to fight. Their attention turned to us, and I hoped I could take a few out with my bow first. Three rushed towards me, axes held high, I backed up and I placed an arrow on the bowstring and quickly released it, It hit the man in the middle, I wasn't sure where the bow hit but it was enough for him to double over, I placed another arrow and let it fly, making the man grunt and stop moving as he dropped to the floor from his wounds. With that, a Norse warrior was all but upon me, axe raised, I would not have time to grab my axe, but thankfully, I would all but need to dodge as I heard the cry of one of my raven clan beside me, running to my aid. So I did that, I dodge. I moved out of the way, rolling down the snowy hill to leave the man alone with my clan, I knew they could take a fight, I went to the warrior who seemed more heavily guarded, I dealt a heavy blow, striking the shield, I stumbled s little but dodged, gave a quick slash to their back before standing back up, another one of my crew joining my battle. I stopped momentarily to see who I was fighting and brought a light and quick swing of my axe to the Norse warrior, I grunted as he blocked it with his shield, it sprung back and my wrist and arm tingled, the next I knew, I was laying on my front on the ground, my cheek stinging as I had been struck across the face with his axe, it hurt, and it took me a few moments to regain my senses, my focus, a Norse warrior fell besides me, dead, no doubt with the help of my clan, I stood up and yelled, bringing down my axe onto the man's arm with all the force I could muster, bringing his arm straight off just above the elbow, he fell to the floor like a doll, blood spurting from how wound, I turned around, my task there was done, and now, I had another one, to kill the Norseman staring at me on the hill, metres away from me. I walked towards him and was about to attack, he turned around, clearly scared of what he had seen me do, and attacked one of my other men, he caught us both with his axe, he drew his arm back in a wide arc, hitting me with the axe behind him before hitting my fellow friend with it. I grunted and stumbled back, almost losing my footing in the snow, but advanced forward, his back now turned to me, I had the upper hand. I struck his back and he turned, I bashed my shield into him and retrieved my axe back to his body, the blade cutting across his throat, leaving a deep gash, his eyes widened and I kicked him in the stomach, making him fly onto his back into the snow, to die in the cold. With that I was lusting for more, for the revenge, these men, this clan had slaughtered my family, my father's clan, and they would pay. I regrouped with the rest of my clan, and started striking, bashing and dodging my way around the Norse warriors, letting them fall one by one. Two were left, one sneaking around the corner of the longhouse, I quickly deslth with him, dealing a heavy axe blow to his helmet, stunning him, slashing two quick strikes across his chest and ramming into him with my shield, throwing him a fair bit into the distance. I could see the last Norse warrior, fighting one of my clan, and I rolled down the hill and pushed into them, I took a minor blow from them but came back from it quickly, I swung my arm around and decapitated him, his head flew off, a few feet away from his body, the weapon dropped from his hand and his body took a moment to fall, but when it did, limp, and sprawled at all angles.

I told you. We would win.

What I could have hoped was the last man wasn't, like I said, Avaldsnes was crawling with Kjotve's men, and as I rounded the corner, axe and shield away, one was walking up the path, just passing the entrance of the keep, oblivious to his dead clan, but to now see us. I drew my bow and arrow and hit him with it, it wasn't enough to disable him but it took a lot out of him, I aimed again and let go of the bowstring, shit, it missed, gliding narrowly past his hip, this was when he started to run towards me, his axe raised, I knocked another arrow to the bow and was about to shoot when one of my raven clan stormed forward and swung his axe in an upward arc, striking the jaw of the Norse warrior, killing him on the spot. I slowly released the tension on the bowstring and returned the arrow to the quiver on my back. Thankful I only had to waste two arrows.

I wielded my weapons and guess that he came from the beach, it seemed one had slipped away from Dag, let's just hope he had our longship ready to sail. Fuck. I ran out of the main gates and skidded, attempting to turn around to be closer to my clan, two groups of Norse warriors were approaching us, and I did not see them before it was too late, I regrouped with the other three of my clan and turned back to look at the advancing danger. I fell back and unslung my bow, hitting one successfully in the distance. I soon gasped and grunted as I looked down, I had been hit by an arrow, it now in my leg, it seemed they now had bows too, I broke the end of the arrow off so the tip was just inside and ran out of the gates to help kill the men who invaded us.

We worked quickly through the group of attacking warriors and turned to the ones that were at the bottom of the path near our longship, they were already engaged in battle, now out of fear of being hit by arrows we joined them until the last one fell and we were ready to board our ship. I limped slightly to the longship and took command, sitting on the edge of the boat, cursing the arrow in my leg, I waited for the others to jump in, wishing for the sting of the salt water in my wound to leave. "Dag, Bragi...grab your oars. The whale road leads us home" I shouted. Dag yelled back over the wind. "good. It's about time!" Bragi grumbled something in return, lost over the wind o focused on directing our sail.

It was time. To sail home.

To Fornburg.