Chapter 28: Unyielding Will

The sun rose over the battlefield, casting an orange glow across the snow-covered plains. Ragnar's forces had regrouped, their numbers bolstered by reserves from the rear. The sheer size of the barbarian horde was overwhelming, stretching far into the horizon. Their war drums thundered in unison, shaking the ground and reverberating in the chests of the Vikings.

Bjorn stood at the forefront of his warriors, his green eyes blazing with determination. His axe rested across his shoulder, its blade gleaming faintly in the dawn light. Around him, his warriors readied their weapons, their expressions grim but resolute. They had tasted victory once and knew they could achieve it again.

"Hold the line!" Bjorn bellowed, his voice carrying over the gathered warriors. "Today, we remind them why Vikings are never broken!"

Ragnar's forces surged forward, their massive numbers creating an almost impenetrable wave of steel and fury. At the head of the horde, Ragnar himself marched, his massive warhammer slung across his back. His crimson eyes glowed faintly, and the black energy surrounding him pulsed with intensity.

Behind the wall of charging barbarians, siege engines creaked into motion. Catapults hurled massive flaming boulders toward the Viking lines, while battering rams rolled steadily forward. The barbarian warriors roared, their war cries echoing across the battlefield.

"Archers!" Bjorn shouted. "Take down the siege crews!"

Liv stepped forward, her bow already in hand. With fluid grace, she loosed an arrow, the projectile striking a barbarian siege crewman squarely in the throat. One by one, her arrows flew, each finding its mark with deadly precision.

Eira charged forward with the front line, her dual axes flashing as she cut down one barbarian after another. "Is this all you've got?" she taunted, her voice ringing with fierce determination.

Astrid, moving beside her father, fought with a precision that was both beautiful and deadly. Her spear darted in and out, each thrust bringing down another foe. "Keep your formation tight!" she shouted to the warriors around her.

From his perch above the battlefield, Gabriel watched the clash unfold. His wings were tucked behind him, his pale eyes scanning the chaos below. Though his role in the battle was meant to be minimal, he couldn't help but focus on three specific figures—Astrid, Liv, and Eira.

"They're extraordinary," Gabriel murmured to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Despite the overwhelming odds, the three sisters fought with unyielding courage and skill. Each of them carried an energy that set them apart from the others, a determination that burned brightly in the heat of battle.

Gabriel's gaze lingered on Astrid as she parried an incoming strike with her spear, then dispatched her opponent with a swift, fluid motion. She moved like a seasoned warrior, her every action deliberate and precise.

Liv, in contrast, was calm and calculating. Her arrows flew with unerring accuracy, her blue eyes scanning the battlefield for her next target. Her movements were almost poetic, a quiet strength radiating from her.

Eira was raw and fierce, her twin axes carving a path through the enemy ranks. Her wild energy was tempered by her unwavering resolve, a balance that made her both unpredictable and unstoppable.

Unbeknownst to them, Gabriel extended his influence slightly, his protective aura subtly ensuring that no strike would come too close to the three sisters. Though he was hesitant to interfere, he couldn't ignore the growing warmth he felt for them—a feeling that surprised even him.

As the battle raged on, Gabriel felt something shift. Among the Vikings, a new energy began to bloom—a resonance that seemed to amplify the effects of his blessing. He focused his senses, tracing the source of the change.

It wasn't just courage driving the Vikings forward. It was their unwavering will, their determination to protect their families, their land, and each other. The stronger their resolve, the more powerful they became.

Bjorn, standing tall at the center of the line, was a beacon of this newfound strength. His roars of command inspired those around him, his axe cleaving through the enemy with a force that seemed almost supernatural.

Astrid, Liv, and Eira each shone brightly in Gabriel's perception. Their courage and determination acted as catalysts, drawing more of his blessing's energy into themselves. Astrid's strikes grew faster and more precise, Liv's arrows flew truer, and Eira's raw strength became an unstoppable force.

Gabriel watched in awe. "Their will fuels their strength," he realized. "This is the true power of the blessing."

Despite the overwhelming numbers, the Vikings held their ground. The barbarian waves crashed against their lines like a relentless tide, but the disciplined warriors repelled each attack with skill and ferocity.

Bjorn's voice rang out above the chaos. "Break their spirits! Show them what it means to fight Vikings!"

The warriors responded with a thunderous roar, their strikes growing more forceful with each passing moment. The barbarian horde began to falter, their confidence shaken by the unyielding strength of the Viking line.

Astrid fought alongside her father, her spear flashing as she struck down enemy after enemy. "They're breaking," she called to Bjorn, her tone filled with determination.

Liv, perched on a rocky outcrop, loosed another volley of arrows. Her sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, picking off barbarian commanders and sowing chaos among their ranks. "Their leaders are falling," she said to herself. "Good."

Eira, in the thick of the battle, was a whirlwind of destruction. Her axes flashed as she carved through the enemy, her laughter ringing out above the clamor. "Come on!" she shouted, her voice filled with fierce joy. "You'll have to try harder than that!"

From the rear of the battlefield, Ragnar watched the carnage with narrowed eyes. His black energy pulsed erratically, a reflection of his growing frustration. Despite his overwhelming numbers, the Vikings were unrelenting, their discipline and strength carving through his forces with ease.

"This isn't possible," Ragnar growled, his crimson eyes narrowing. "They're just men."

Skarn, his second-in-command, approached cautiously. "My lord, their strength… it's unnatural."

"Enough!" Ragnar roared, his black energy surging around him. "Their blessing won't save them from what comes next."

As the sun climbed higher, the Vikings' relentless assault began to break the barbarian horde. Their once-coordinated attacks devolved into disarray, their warriors fleeing in every direction. The battlefield, once teeming with enemies, began to clear as the barbarians retreated toward their siege engines.

Bjorn raised his axe high, his voice booming across the field. "Victory is ours! Drive them back!"

The Vikings surged forward, their cheers echoing across the snow-covered plains. Astrid, Liv, and Eira joined their father at the front, their faces flushed with the exhilaration of battle.

From above, Gabriel watched the Vikings' triumph with a mix of pride and relief. The battle had been fierce, but the strength of Bjorn and his warriors had prevailed. His gaze drifted once more to the three sisters, their courage and determination shining brightly in his perception.

"They're extraordinary," he murmured, a faint smile playing on his lips. Though he hadn't intended to involve himself so deeply, he couldn't deny the growing warmth he felt toward them.

For now, he would continue to guard them, ensuring their safety as the battle continued. But deep down, he knew his feelings were becoming something more.