Free

Lura Syllana

As tomorrow comes, the four of us meet up and all exchange nods. No one speaks as we are all nervous. Everyone except for Ralodan. He’s his usual calm, confident self. I envy that aspect of him. I wish I could remain calm and confident.

We head in to meet with Illianaro to tell him we are ready to take the final test. He nods and has us follow him as we are brought to a separate part of the church. Illianaro talks with a Sister named Lynfeah who takes us into another classroom. There we are given parchment, quills, and ink along with a scroll with questions on it. The questions seem random and ask about the concepts we learn in the books. Everything from the sins, to the words of Akrasiel and more. It takes us at least several hours to finish them all. There are over three hundred questions and we have to write out each answer. However, for the most part, I feel confident in my answers. Ralodan finishes first, then myself, and then Melyis, with Biremeril finishing last. I’m sure he had to go over each question three or four times and then write and rewrite his answer three or four times also. He’s not very confident in himself and ever since he read that book, he’s been even more hesitant about everything. He even looks at nobles differently.

Once we finish and hand our tests in, we have to wait for them to be graded. Fortunately, it’s all done with magic, and it takes hardly a moment to get our results back. We were all present when Sister Lynfeah brings the news. She looks solemn and reserved. Her dark complexion remains without a slick of sweat even though the four of us aside from Ralodan are drenched in it. Did we all pass?

Suddenly, her straight expression curves into a smile. “Congratulations, you have all passed! You’re now Accepted! Now come with me. The High Mother and High Father will want to meet you and give you congratulations.”

We follow behind her as my heart pumps at the prospect of being introduced to both the High Father and High Mother. On one hand, I’m super excited to meet the High Mother, even though I probably won’t be able to ask the thousands of questions I have in my head. On the other hand, I’m nervous and completely afraid of the High Father. I don’t trust him.

We are brought up the stairs to the highest level, where the quarters of both of the highest reside. As we reach the top level, we are brought to a chamber where the Mothers and Fathers meet. Inside, all the Mothers and Fathers, including the highest, sit within a meeting. “You’re holiest. I have brought four more Novices who are ready to ascend to Accepted.”

“Ahh, bring them in,” that rich and fiery voice says. That voice that could only belong to one man. We follow the Sister inside and are brought within the middle of the room where the High Father and High Mother sit before us. The High Father is on the right and the High Mother on the left. To the right of the High Father are all the Fathers of the church, and to the left of the High Mother are all the Mothers of the church.

“Welcome children; today you should be proud of all your hard work, but do not let that pride go to your heads,” the High Mother says with a smile. Her golden-blonde hair lays down upon her shoulders and it’s as if it shines within the Light itself. She wears a simple, white gown with a golden shall and her hat is also simple and white with gold trim. “However, I will say that I too am proud of you all.”

She seems to stare right at Ralodan as she says this. Something really pulls at me and I feel like I should see it, but for some odd reason, I can’t quite figure it out. There is something about Ralodan. He’s different from the rest of us and that should’ve been clear during the High Father’s sermon, but what does it mean?

What if… No, I don’t think that’s what it is.

Both the High Father and the High Mother get up from their seats and come to greet each of us personally, followed by the other Mothers and Fathers. The High Father leads and shakes our hands. When he gets to me, he pauses as he grabs my hand, sending a cold chill up my spine and making my skin crawl. He stares at my face for quite some time. “Have we met before?”

I shake my head no and the words get caught in my throat. He nods and then moves on. The High Mother, on the other hand, melts the chill across my skin with her warm and compassionate smile. “I see Damaris has yet again brought us blessings within you four. She knows how to find diamonds within our impoverished streets.”

Her warmth seems to spread inside me, making me smile. I nod, and once again the words get stuck in my throat. This time for different reasons. Behind her are the Fathers and Mothers, alternating between the two. Anfather is first, and he has such a presence. So confident. His smile seems to illuminate the room. “Welcome child, you have taken your first step to the Light.”

Next is Vedana Oddheart and my heart leaps into my chest. She’s Damaris’ mentor! She smiles at me with such heartwarming compassion. Even her hand, like the High Mother’s, seems to spread warmth through me into my heart. “Welcome child. You are blessed, and I look forward to seeing where the Light leads you.”

She leans in and whispers in my ear. “Blessed you, of the Syllana line. You will bring the Light’s redemption upon your family’s name.”

My eyes go wide as I look up into her eyes. She knows? She smiles and winks at me before releasing my hand and moving on.

Selvelion Duskwood shakes my hand after with a curt nod and moves on, followed by Nostra Longswitch who is absolutely beautiful with her long black hair. She smiles brightly as she shakes my hand and she, too, gives me a wink.

After her, a man named Colvardonn shakes my hand, followed by a woman named Kynice Radiantshield, then Riluaneth Waeszeiros, another author. Behind him is Aule Brasstruth. She looks down her nose at me. Less pleased, I’m sure. She’s followed by a man named Fylson Greran. His grip is a bit cold, and his eyes seem to be steel. He gives a brief smile before moving on. My heart stills as Chaetris Rapidbirth clenches my hand with a tight grip as if she’s trying to squeeze the life out of it. Her forced smile is dominated by eyes that obviously show her displeasure as they somehow look down over her little piggy-like nose at me even though she’s shorter than me. The stout woman doesn’t give me another thought as she moves on.

Lastly, Amaranthae follows. She smiles, and it seems sincere, but there’s a hardness to her. I can tell she has an unbreakable will. Her grip is stern, but not crushing. She’s confident, but not arrogant. “I look forward to seeing what the Light brings of you.”

“Thank you,” I say, receiving a quick nod before she moves on.

“Now, you’re officially Accepted,” the High Mother says to us with such a warm and welcoming smile. “Now, go forward and learn how to let the Light shine through you. Follow Sister Lynfeah out to receive your new robes and your crystals.”

We all bow and curtsey before being led out to find Sister Damaris waiting outside. She smiles widely and hugs each of us. “I’m so proud of each of you. You have all done well. I came as soon as I heard.”

We all thank her profusely. Sister Lynfeah gives Sister Damaris a nod and a welcoming smile. “I’ll let you follow Sister Lynfeah to get your things, and then you’ll get to move into your new rooms. We can talk later.”

We all nod and follow Sister Lynfeah out. She brings us down to where we first got our brown robes and we’re handed yellow robes in exchange. Then we’re each given a crystal pendant to wear around our necks. I’m excited because I’ve read that this is how we can harness the Divine Light, purifying the Arcane within us so we can heal, purify, and cleanse others.

Afterward, we all go back to our rooms and pack our things. Melyis has tears in her eyes as she packs. “Everything okay?”

She looks at me as she wipes them from her cheeks. “I know our stay with each other was short, but I’m going to miss you.”

“Aww, don’t worry, Melyis. We’ll only be down the hall from each other. You can always come to my room for anything, and I know I’ll be hanging around your room a lot. We’ll still be study buddies – you, me, Ralodan, and Biremeril. Only a few things will change,” I say.

She nods, and I pull her in for a hug.

She nods with a smile, wiping her tears away. We finish packing and haul our stuff to our new rooms. Thankfully, Melyis and I get to move right next to Chalia, Ochilysse, and Charinva. Of course, Charinva has already moved up the ranks to level three, with Chalia not far behind.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

Before we get ready to head out to the All-Clan Meeting, my father calls a meeting with the steersman and Skippers, or captains as we’ve come to call them, including myself and Thormar since I will be the captain of my father’s ship. They’ve managed to convince me to take up the position of Captain.

Thormar and I head into the hall while Bodvar heads off to his room, grumbling all the way. Several of the ship captains and steersmen are here already. Koll Alriksson with his second wife, my aunt Ingithora. Einar Alriksson with his second in command, his son Vog Einarson, Brynhild Svarkollrdottir, a woman with blond hair who fights like an eagle and is now a captain along with her son Thorvir, Rodmar Asulfsson who was Throst’s second in command and is now a captain as well. Lastly, Throst Thorhallson with his new second in command, Gamal Ornolfsson. They talk with my father and all nod as Thormar and I enter.

I take the seat to my father’s left and Thormar stands behind me.

Einar sighs. “My nephew has requested to join me this raiding season.”

“I see no problem with that,” my father says.

“He is weak. The boy can’t even stomach the sight of blood without fainting. He is no Viking, that is for sure,” Einar says with clear disdain.

“Oh, come on, Brother. Give the boy a chance. He is our sister’s son after all. May she feast with Fridgerd. He just needs to get his sword wet,” Koll says.

“Then you take him on your ship,” Einar says.

“I barely have enough room for my own children,” Koll says.

Ingithora sighs. “That’s the truth.”

“Sure… You just don’t want to carry dead weight. Trandil is utterly useless. He should’ve died in the womb to save our sister from death. She was a warrior. He’s just an utter coward,” Einar says. I know it must be hard for him to accept the boy seeing how he blames him for his sister’s death, but he doesn’t seem to give the boy a chance. Thormar seems to tense up, gritting his teeth.

“I think you should at least give him a chance. Who knows, maybe he will be the one thing you need in a moment you don’t expect. But you never know if you don’t give him a chance to prove himself. Besides, it is partially your own fault for his weakness. You didn’t even bring him to the mountains to train,” I say.

That did not make Einar happy, but it is true. My father interjects. “My son is right. Bring the boy. If he dies, he dies, but at least he has the choice and the opportunity.”

“Fine,” Einar says, grumbling under his breath. Koll and Einar may be twins, but they are nothing alike. Koll is always calm and collected, while Einar is always angry. Einar is more like a grease fire with water poured on top, while Koll is like a hot but simmering coal fire.

More Steersmen and Captains enter. Among them are Kodran Tjorvisson, Sibbi Hreitharrsson, Vebrand Haraldsson, and Thrain Haklangsson with Grom. To my surprise, Grom takes a seat next to Thrain. His eyes burn as they see me, but he holds his tongue.

Slowly, the rest of the Steersman and Skippers trickle in and my father begins the meeting. “I’ll try to keep things brief seeing how we all have much to do before the All-Clan meeting and we go off raiding. If no one objects, we shall maintain the same raid plans as last raiding season.”

“I object,” Thrain says.

My father clenches his jaw. “And what exactly do you object to?”

He stands up. “My crew and I, along with the rest of our raiding party, are sick and tired of getting the leftovers of those you favor. It is bad enough you let your son get to take the best route even though he has no experience being a captain. We will not stand any longer. We will not accept scraps.”

Father leans in and meets Thrain’s eyes. “Why do you think you deserve any more than I’ve given you?”

Thrain spits and sputters, but no words come out. Father smirks and looks around at the others. “Shall we vote?”

The others nod, and the vote begins as the others get up and place their votes. It’s overwhelmingly for keeping the raid plans the same as last cycle. “Then let it be. The raiding shall remain the same. Is there anything else?”

The silence in the room is answer enough. “Then the meeting is adjourned. Meet with your raid parties and crew, prepare your ships, and head out when you feel ready after the All-Clan Meeting. You’re all dismissed.”

The men and the few women trickle out, with only my father, my brother, and I behind.

We wait as my father gives word to send for my crew.

Before long, they all trickle in. It’s hard to believe I am now the Captain of Thorkel’s ship. After Arngunn and my son died I thought I’d never sail out to sea again, but my father was right. I have to in order to make sure our people do not starve in winter. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make sure our people are safe and provided for. Especially my family and the people I care about. As Amalasontha taught me, duty is the most important thing. My duty to my family and my people must come above all else. Through duty and service, I will earn my honor, and, hopefully, I will earn my place in Valholl next to Thorkel and be reunited with my wife and son.

I meet my crew with my father and Thormar as they all come in and take a seat. They all seem to treat Thormar like a little brother, joking with him and acknowledging him. He takes it rather well, but still fights smiling. Most seem to either ignore me or steal glances in my direction. I remain seated next to my father with Thormar taking the seat to my right. Skardi, Griotgard, and Solmund trade nods with me. I get along with the crew rather well. They all see me as one of their own and we all went through the worst of it together, but I feel like I have yet to prove myself, especially now as a Captain. I also feel as if I abandoned them after Thorkel’s death even though most don’t see it that way. Either way, they’re all respectable men and women.

“Bothvar, why don’t you lead this meeting? You are the Skipper now,” father says. I nod.

“Oh, finally decided to join us, huh?” Thialfi asks with a flat face.

“Thialfi, shut your trap or I’ll shut it for you,” Gunnstein says.

“He’s right. I’m sure many of you feel like I abandoned you…” I say, meeting their eyes.

“We understand. Losing Thorkel hit us all, and then to lose your wife and son on top of it. It’s more than any man can take,” Rognvald says with an empathetic nod.

I place my hands on the table and stand up before them. “It’s no excuse. I took leave of my duty to you, my family and our people, and for that, I am sorry.”

The crew exchange looks and all nod. Gunnstein meets my eyes. “You don’t need to apologize, thanks to you, we’re all much stronger and without you, those giants would’ve killed off most of us. Not only that. But you saved many of our lives and our loved ones when you came back from the mountains with those mushrooms. We all owe you. You deserved a few cycles to yourself, besides, we all understand. You did it for Thorkel. A man we all owe our lives to. Along with Varin Hialtisson, and the brothers Styrkar and Saksis Hreinsson. Without their sacrifice, the elves would’ve taken many more of our crew.”

Gunnstein turns to the rest of the crew, specifically his younger brother Thialfi. “If any of you lot have a problem with that, then you can take it up with me.”

I give Gunnstein a nod of appreciation. My father clears his throat. “Well, now that that’s settled, let’s discuss the raiding, shall we?”

The crew all nod and relax a bit.

I clear my own throat and sit back down. “Well, as was talked about in the other meeting with the captains, we are to head down the same course as the last few times. We’ll head south along the Western coastline of the elves with Koll, Throst, and Einar’s ships, not straying too close, and take on any merchant ships we find. Any questions?”

“Blunt and to the point, Bothvar. Some things never change!” Griotgard laughs. The others join in.

“What’s wrong with that?” Gudleif asks. He’s a tall brute of a man with a bald, shiny head and a graying goatee and mustache. “Wish all bastards were as blunt as him. I hate when people speak without saying anything. Just get to the damn point.”

“I agree. Never trust anyone who talks too much or speaks in riddles,” Gizor says, combing his bright red beard. He’s just as tall as Gudleif. Most of the crew have started to get that graying skin from the mushrooms and ore water, and all seem to have gained a sizable bulk of strength.

“Men,” Audbjorg, Gudlief’s wife and Gizor’s sister, says with a sigh. “If you knew how to use your words properly, we wouldn’t have half the wars in history.”

“What’s wrong with war?” her husband asks. “A good war weeds out the weak.”

“Da, seriously?” his daughter, Turid, asks. She has her mother’s red hair but is every bit as blunt as her father. She’s also as much of a warrior as both of them. “War isn’t something to seek.”

“What’s wrong with a good fight?” Gizor asks as he focuses on his hair now.

“Enough, banter. Let us get back to the topic at hand,” I say with a sigh. “Does anyone have anything to add?”

“I hope we get a merchant ship with that wine those Southerners make. It’s delicious,” Thialfi says, licking his lips. “I’m definitely taking a barrel for myself.”

“If you do, you’re sharing it with the rest of us,” Thialfi’s older brother Skarf says.

“Like hell I am,” Thialfi says. “Get your own barrel.”

“Is there anything more on the raid itself?” I ask.

“When do we head out?” Rognvald asks.

“As dawn arrives on the second day after we get back from the All-Clan Meeting. We’ll sail out tomorrow for the meeting, remain there for the night, and come back in the morning like usual. You’ll have the rest of the day and another full day to get your shit together, then we sail out the morning after,” I say. The men all nod.

“So, you’re saying we get a full day to recover from the festivities?” Thialfi says as he runs his hand through his short, blond hair with a turd-eating grin. Thialfi often comes off as a drunken, gambling fool who puts too much effort into getting out of work. But he’s a good fighter and smarter than he looks. I also trust him with my life. Even though he goes overboard in underachieving, when push comes to shove, he always comes through. And for most of the clans, the All-Clan Meeting is just one giant drunken celebration where they get to dance with the other clans. For my family and I, we have to suffer through a long, boring meeting where my father and the Wolf leader bicker the entire time.

“You better be recovered by the time you sail out. You don’t want to be the reason why you all die of thirst because you were too hungover to remember to store enough freshwater on board,” my father says.

The crew goes as silent as the dark of midnight in the mountains on a windless night. I would give my strength to the gods in order to do that. When he speaks, people not only listen, they obey. It doesn’t matter how strong I get; the crew will always see me as Bothvar Beorcolsson. No matter how many titles I obtain I will always be Beorcol’s son. As much as it disappoints me in some way, I also cherish it. While others see me as a giant slayer, some even laugh at that title. Not that I blame them. The crew… They’ll always see me as Beorcol’s son or Thorkel’s younger brother. I cherish this because when all else changes, as it always will, at least this will stay the same. They are not only the crew of my father and brothers, they are my friends.

“Are there any questions?” I ask.

Thialfi raises his hand. I let out a sigh and nod. “Aside from the barrel of wine I claim for myself, can we have one for the crew on the sail back?”

“Are there any important questions that can’t be answered while we’re at sea?” I ask. They all look at each other and shrug. I stand up. “Then go off and prepare yourselves.”

“And get a good fuck in with your wives,” Thialfi says with a grin and a wink. “I sure know I am.”

“It’s hard to believe you’re married,” Gunnstein says with a flat look. “I can’t imagine why Sigrid would want to marry a knutter like you?”

“Don’t worry about it, brother, some women just have good taste,” he says with a smile as he wraps an arm around his older brother. Gunnstein pushes him off.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Joreid asks, who is Gunnstein’s wife. She crosses her arms and puffs a string of long, brown hair out of her face. Her amber, almond eyes bear into Thialfi.

He goes stiff as a board with eyes the size of gold coins. The big ones. Then he tries to act casual. “Nothing, nothing at all.”

She only narrows her eyes even further, becoming as thin as a stitch needle to sew up clothes. Are they even open?

“What my son meant when he ended the meeting is get out of my hall and go home. I’m hungry. I want to eat, and I want to get some sleep,” my father says, interrupting their conversation with a rather annoyed look as he impatiently taps a finger against the table. The crew is out of the hall faster than my father can fill a mug up with ale, leaving a smirk on the old man’s face. “That went well enough, but you need to be more assertive. Do not let your friends disobey orders. You can let them have their fun, but disobeying orders can mean death at the hands of the enemy. Understand?”

He doesn’t even look at me as he fills a plate up with food as if he was talking about the weather. But his tone would make a Jotnar stand still. “I understand, father.” And I do. I’ve learned my lessons about death. Many times, over.

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Lura Syllana

Her eyes burned red as they seared into my soul. She could’ve been beautiful if half of her face wasn’t decayed flesh over bone. On one side her hair was golden with a green eye in a sea of warm, ivory skin up to her nose, but then turns into a sickly-white, pale, rotting flesh with parts of her skull visible. Half of her upper lip is missing. Her skeletal hand holds a scythe of bone, raising it above me as she seeks to reap my soul.

A loud, piercing scream tears me out of my sleep. I look over to find Melyis crying and yelling in her sleep. She cries out and talks. “Please, I’ll be good. I promise.”

I go to her and gently shake her until she springs awake and starts crying. I hold her in my arms as she weeps and sobs. This poor girl. What in the Light has she been through? Who would do such a thing to a sweet girl like her? It’s horrible. Those scars on her back… What monster is capable of doing that to her?

“I don’t want to go back to sleep, please… Please don’t make me go back to sleep,” she says, pleading and begging me.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be alright. You’re safe now,” I say, gently running my hands through her hair. “Come, lay down with me, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

She nods and follows me to my bed. I pull her in and wrap my arms around her. We keep the lamp lit and lay there until we both fall back asleep.

—

The next day, the Paladins bring back the dead and I hold my breath as I go to see who is brought back, praying it’s not Orym. Thankfully, it isn’t. I thank the Light before going back to my studies with the others. They hold a funeral ceremony for them, and I’m shocked to see they’re taken by the Light as it beams down onto them and pulls their souls to the heavens.

We spend the next few days studying the book and the notes, quizzing each other about the things we need to know in the notes before we finally take the test and pass.

It’s like that with the next few levels. After we moved up to level four, we were given the book The Words of Akrasiel by Vedana Oddheart. Another current mother. She is one of Damaris’s mentors. I read the book with the care it deserves. It’s mostly about Akrasiel’s compassion and desire to help those in need. It speaks of service to those less fortunate and altruism. Those who serve the Light have a duty to care for those who suffer. There are tons of quotes by the Angel Akrasiel about self-sacrifice and service to the poor, homeless, and starving. We have a duty to heal the sick without bias. It does not matter what god they worship or what race they were born in; it is the servants of the Light’s duty to heal and care for all those who need it.

The entire book I can understand and I agree with. It is clear why Damaris is the way she is with someone like Vedana to learn from.

Unfortunately, the class is taught by a stuck-up noble boy named Glarald Balris. That’s not to say he isn’t handsome, but he is so arrogant and sure of himself. However, he’s easier to tolerate than most nobles. He doesn’t quite seem to view low-borns as lesser, but he still puts himself on a pedestal. It doesn’t take the four of us long to finish the book and memorize the principles within Terel’s notes that we need to learn in order to pass the test.

By this time, Ochilysse has received the next few books and has finished the first book, handing it over to Biremeril. As we enter the class as level fives, we get the book called The Holy Divine Light by Anfather, a current father of the Light. He has served as a Paladin and created the Paladin order before relinquishing his title as the Paladin’s Hand of the Light to become a father of the High Elven Church of the Light.

This class is taught by Fhaornik Venxidor, another high-born noble boy, but he is far different from any other high-born noble I’ve ever met. He smiles quite a bit and is rarely ever serious. Low-borns seem to be treated the same as high-borns. He is very cheerful and has a lot of jokes. He provides a rather pleasant change of pace. Before he lets us get to work, he always starts class with a laugh. He’s also very helpful.

The book of Anfather is all about our obligation to seek out justice and protect the innocent and defenseless. I shouldn’t be surprised about that. He did, after all, create the Paladin Order. He talks about how we should seek darkness, chaos, and all that threatens the peace and shed our Divine Light upon it, bringing order along with snuffing out war and violence.

It is our duty to remain vigilant against those who seek death and destruction. It is our responsibility to protect life and defend it against those who seek to bring death upon others.

We study hard, and, thankfully, Terel’s notes are at the back of the book to help us. At this time, several other of our fellow strays advances to Accepted, including Ochilysse, Cheyoise, Hubys, Inhepireth, Therlu, and Terelor.

New recruits have also joined us. I haven’t had much time to meet them as I am caught up between studies and labor. Another thing I’ve noticed is a huge change within Biremeril as he finishes the first book. He seems to have become rather lost and more withdrawn than normal. And a bit hostile. I saw him snap at Zarlatha Arcaneseeker during our service at the kitchens. I’ve never seen him act this way. He’s become more defiant and argumentative. I don’t know what to make of it. Is this because of what he has read within the book? Could it really be that hard to take?

We manage to pass the test to reach level seven, and Biremeril finishes the first book and hands it over to Ralodan, almost bitterly.

The next class is our final class since, in order to reach level nine, you must complete your hours, and to reach level ten you must pass a comprehensive test of all the teachings. Of course, I suppose we will have a class for that taught by another Accepted. This class is taught by a low-born woman named Helekharise. She’s nice and kind and offers much help. We’re given Light Incarnate, Akrasiel’s Second Coming by none other than Mathienne Naesalor, the High Mother of the church.

Within the book, it tells the prophecy of Akrasiel’s rebirth. Even though Akrasiel mentions a time of his sacrifice and rebirth, I guess he also took Mathienne aside and shared with her specific details of his second coming.

According to Mathienne, Akrasiel and the rest of the angels are beings born of the Light and are Light themselves. His rebirth may not just be one birth, but many since Light is not restricted by a physical form and one can become two. If one dies, like a phoenix, it is reborn from the ashes within a mortal form. It is told he will be reborn from a virgin. The seed of his soul will plant itself within a pure heart and be reborn from her womb. Akrasiel will return when the Light has been darkened by corruption and the seed of chaos grows in the hearts of mortals. When red becomes white, the Light will bring the birth of the one who will outshine the darkness. His coming will be one of many and when the many become one. The Light will shine its brightest when darkness threatens to encompass all.

It is rather confusing. The notes don’t help much. I guess Akrasiel will be reborn in several forms? Does that make any sense? Shouldn’t he just be reborn as he was? Or I guess in a mortal form… I don’t know what to make of it.

Helekharise only adds her thoughts on such a matter, but she admits that few know exactly what is meant besides Mathienne, and she is very vague about it.

We all study hard for the test and pass, but not as well as the previous tests. Either way, we have made it to level eight. Thankfully, we’ve been pretty good at getting our hours in every day, so we only have about forty hours left.

We spend much of our time either cleaning the kitchens, mopping floors, shining the glass, dusting, or doing other chores. When we aren’t doing chores, we study for the final test. Biremeril is on the second book of Terel’s and Ralodan says he’s nearly finished with the first book. He doesn’t seem all that affected by the book, unlike everyone else who’s read it. He still seems his cheerful and merry self.

It takes us all of four days of working ten hours a day to finally wrap up our labor hours. Then we are placed in a class with Illianaro, an Accepted stray who is close to reaching level ten. He’s rumored to become a Paladin upon passing his test to ascend from Accepted. Of course, I’m not surprised since the dark-skinned man is as strong as they come.

He is really helpful and does a good job of testing us for everything we need to know. Thankfully, we’re given back all the previous books with all the notes from Terel, so we know what to study.

After long days of study, we’ve all decided to take the test tomorrow. To prepare we hold a last-minute study session in the giant library, with bookcases stacked to the dome ceiling along with endless rows of bookshelves that go on forever. It smells of old, dusty paper. A smell that isn’t so bad.

We spend all night studying and testing each other until we are all certain of ourselves. After we clean up and head out, Ralodan pulls me aside. He smiles as he pulls out the first book. “I finished it.”

“And?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Honestly, I don’t know why everyone was freaking out over it. It really didn’t surprise me much. I felt like I kinda knew it already.”

I cautiously take the book from him, opening it up and flipping through the pages. “What is it about?”

“You’ll see once you finish reading it. Let me know when you do and I’ll tell you what I think.” He gives me that smile of his, and I nod in return before we join the others on the walk back to the Novice level.

Once inside the dorm, I tuck the book underneath my bed to read tomorrow, even though my mind is racing with questions. I can’t afford that distraction right now. I need to focus on passing the test tomorrow.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

I have no idea how my father convinced my mother to let my younger siblings and Thora train, although Svala isn’t all that young. She’s a summer or two away from being old enough to raid herself. Bodvar isn’t that far behind. Thora still has a way to go, only being still my age when Arngunn’s parents died, but she’s able to hold a sword, so she must train.

The cave is growing crowded. The old men have brought their children to train as well. Aldam had sent for several more anvils and tools. The sound of hammers on metal echoes through the mountains. The men and several women, including the daughters of Einar, Throst, and Koll all look to me to lead them. Even my father has joined in and follows my lead. Part of me thinks they are all fools. What right do I have to lead? Wherever I go, death follows like a shadow I can’t outrun.

I must say, however, we’ve made much progress since the first day we started down this path after the battle with the giants. Those who came first, Solmund, Griotgard, Skardi, Einar, Koll, and Throst are well on their way to making weapons, helms, and breastplates. It seems Aldam’s way of training is far more effective than the method I used.

My siblings are not far behind. Especially Thormar, which surprises me. I never thought of him as a warrior, but he is proving me wrong. Bodvar is unsurprisingly progressing just as fast. He’s already on the bracelets, as well as Svala. Even Thora is showing strength beyond her cycles. She complains a lot, she’s combative, stubborn, fool-hardy, and foul-mouth. Just like her father and mother in many ways. She complains just as much as Asfrid did and is just as fool-hardy and stubborn as Thorkel. I don’t know where she learns the words that come out of her mouth, but when I do find out, I might just cut out their tongue.

I spar with the child as she wears the bracelets, slowing her movements. “This is so not fair! These bracelets are heavy. I could hit you if I didn’t wear them.”

“The bracelets give you strength. The harder the struggle, the stronger you get.”

She just growls as she tries her best to attack. I swat her strikes away and cover her body with bruises. “Too slow. You’ll have to do better than that if you hope to take up the sword and join us on raids.”

She grits her teeth and glares at me. She digs her practice sword into the ground and tries to fling rocks at me. I laugh as I beat them away while dodging her strikes. “You try to use that trick on me again, huh? You’ll have to do better.”

She lunges and feigns the overhead before going to a cross strike. I jump back and sweep her legs out as she tumbles down. She rolls to her side and slams her fist against the ground. She gets up and breaks the wooden practice sword on her knee, chucking it.

“Thora! You can’t keep letting your anger fluster you. Anger blinds you in battle and that leads to mistakes. It makes you careless. Now go fetch another stick and make yourself another practice sword. Stop breaking them so needlessly,” I say in a chastising tone. She huffs, practically growling at me before she turns heel and walks away muttering insults.

She’s grown wild and restless. That little girl who sat by my side at the dock not that long ago seems to have been lost. This girl who has taken her place is full of anger. I can understand that fury. Her anger isn’t without merit. She is mad at the world for the injustice of growing up without her parents. The only way to quell it is to burn it out of her through hard work and discipline.

I oversee the progress of the others. Vog Einarson and his sister Thorgunna are working with the pebble along with Throst’s daughters, Asvor, Alfdis, and one named Arngunn… a name that brings me much pain, along with Asdis and Alfeidi. Most of them seem to complain, particularly Arngunn. She is nothing like my Arni. It’s hard to even speak the name out loud.

Koll’s many sons and daughters and his grandsons and several granddaughters are also here training. Veleif, who was older than Thorkel has moved on to the bracelets while his second wife, Thorballa Cnutdottir, along with all four of his daughters Aldis, Estrid, Asvor, and Bolla work on the pebbles. My other cousins vary in progress as well. Frida has moved onto the bracelets while all of her younger sisters Greiland, Asfrid, Asgerd, and Yngvild all still try to lift the pebble. Their other brothers Svafar, Saxi, Gili, and Tyrkir all on the bracelets. Starolf Saxison, Gudrik Svafarson, and Hunbogi Veleifson also are still on the pebble. Some of the Kollsons’ wives also work hard to gain strength. Hallgerd Sigviddottir, Svafar’s first wife who is also Solmund and Griotgard’s older sister along with Tofa Odinkardottir, Svafar’s second wife, along with Arnjborg, Saxi’s first wife, and even my aunt, Ingithora, Koll’s second wife, work hard to gain strength. Ingithora already wears the bracelets, while the other two women are still with the pebble.

Koll is a lucky man to have such a large family. A family so large, he mans an entire ship with them, securing much wealth for his family. Father has always wished to do the same with our family.

Most of Father’s and Thorkel’s crew members are here as well. Particularly Grimwald’s line, his son, Gudleif, Gudlief’s wife Audbjorg, and their surviving daughter Turid, as well as Grimwald’s youngest son, Harvard, who is Thormar’s friend. Fridmund Bjarkisson along with Gizor, his sisters Greiland and Katla, aside from their other sister Arnora, Koll’s third wife. Iarl Gerison and Rognvald Holmgavtsson are here as well.

Solmund and Griotgard’s younger siblings, Hosvir Sigvidson and Vigdis Sigviddottir, are here along with Ulf Styrkarsson, and his sister Ingirid. Brynhild Svartkollrdottir and her son Thorvir Stormborn work hard and Thorvir seems to progress rather quickly.

I wish I had Aldam’s help when I came here. It would’ve made my progress much faster. The dwarf’s wisdom is much helpful. Without him, we’d be a jumbled mess.

Lastly, Gunnstein Cnutsson, his wife Joreid, and his two siblings Skarf and Thialfi make up the last of what is made up of Thorkel’s crew, which father intends for me to lead. I am still on the fence.

My father can only come up for part of the day before heading back to take care of affairs in town.

The mushrooms seem to have an effect on them. The ones who came first are starting to see the darkening effect on their skin and talk about their heightened senses. Some of the women are reluctant to eat them because of the effect they have on the skin. Some don’t want that color. But the price is worth it. The mushroom makes your body as fresh as an apple still on the tree nearly in the time it takes for a short nap. Their healing effect will give us a great advantage if war ever comes.

Our numbers have grown such that we had to find more caves. I’m reluctant to let anyone near Longhorn’s resting place. It is sacred to me and I will see it untouched. I’ve visited it several times to make sure it remains untouched. Especially with those foul shadow stalkers. I’ve heard their howling at night. It unsettled many of the men and women with training. I have half a mind to take out a hunting party and exterminate them all.

When I’m not training my siblings, overseeing everyone else’s training, I am hammering out tools, weapons, and armor with the green ore, nedratum, or whatever the dwarf calls it. We have the men and women make bracelets and pebbles for those behind them before they go on to make their own weapons and armors.

As night falls upon us, the howling of those damn shadow stalkers echoes through the mountain paths like a nefarious wind.

“What in the gods is that disturbing nose?” Fridmund asks, plugging his ears.

“You don’t want to know,” I say, casting weary glances out at the darkness. Under the moonlight, I can see their kind lurking through the darkness. Just out of range.

“Are those the shadow monsters we’ve heard about?” Thormar asks.

“They’re fiends, vicious and cunning. They’re relentless. When I first came here, they nearly killed me,” I say. That makes them all uneasy.

“I say we hunt them down. It’ll be a good test of our strength,” Svafar says, stroking his short black beard.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind having a nice challenge,” Starolf says, stretching his arm.

Saxi punches his arm. “Don’t be so hasty. You can’t even lift a pebble yet, son.”

“Be careful what you wish for. The shadow stalkers would love to sink their rotting teeth in your flesh. Although we might not have a choice. They’ve been circling our caves, stalking us for several nights now. They’re waiting for an excellent opportunity to strike. Probably hoping they can get us alone and weaken our numbers. The beasts are smarter than they look. If we do go out and hunt them, we will wait until daylight when they are weaker,” I say.

“We can take ’em,” Vog says, puffing his oversized chest out. “They’re no match for us. Same with them yeti I heard are up here. They might be big, but I can take ’em.”

“You’ll do no such thing if you find a yeti!” I snap at him.

“Why? Do you think I can’t kill one? Think I’m weak?” he asks, standing up.

“I wouldn’t mind having a yeti horn to mount on my wall,” Gizor says, stroking his long red beard.

“Anyone who tries to attack a yeti will have to answer to me. They are not to be harmed,” I say, as my ax slices a rock in two. The crack of the force makes many flinch.

“Why? They’re just beasts,” Vog says.

“If it weren’t for those beasts, the Shadow stalkers would’ve killed me. The yeti saved my life. No one will touch them.” My voice booms through the mountain pass, scattering the shadow stalkers. Vog sighs and throws his hands up.

A loud howl whips through our camp. It’s too close for comfort. They return beyond the campsite, circling. “Everyone, arm yourselves. Looks like you’ll have the fight you’re looking for. They’re closing in.”

“Aldam, Koll, Einar, Throst, Thormar, Griotgard, Solmund, Skardi, Veleif and Vog, with me. The rest of you get into the caves. The stronger of you guard the entrance, the rest fall behind for support. We’ll hold them off until dawn and then hunt them down,” I command.

“What about me?” Svafar says.

“Do as you’re told, boy,” Koll snaps at him. He reluctantly listens and heads into the cave with the rest.

I see them circling us. Their glowing red eyes seem to pierce the darkness. With an ax in one hand and the sword in the other, I stomp on the ground. “Come and get it, you foul creatures!”

The damn thing meets my challenge and darts at me with an unsettling, ravenous charge. Its claws rip through the air, seeking my flesh, barely missing as I step aside. The wretched stench of the beast makes it hard to breathe. It has the smell of rotting flesh and putrid death. My ax slices the fiend’s head clean off as its black blood sprays out. The blood is not right.

“What in the name of the gods is that thing?” Griotgard says.

More rush out of the darkness, seeking their meal. “Circle up!”

They gather around the entrance in an arc while the beasts dance just outside the light of the campfires. An arrow swipes past me straight into the eye of one of the beasts. I look back to see Svala notching another and others grab bows, following her lead.

A screeching howl pierces our ears as they storm us. At least six charges in. I take on the first, slicing off a long, clawed hand that sought my chest. Aldam’s hammer caves in the head of one that sought to make him his meal. Koll fends off another, covering himself in the black blood as he opens its chest with a swipe of his sword. Solmund screams out as a long claw opens his forearm. Griotgard manages to chop its arm off. Einar and Vog dispatch another, dismembering its arms before decapitating it. Solmund decapitates the one who cut him. Vog buries his ax in the chest of another. Skardi ducks under a swipe before slicing open its guts.

Throst and Thormar trade strikes, chopping down another fiend hungry for our flesh. Arrows continue to fly past us, seeking their rotting, discolored flesh covered in matted, sickly hair. Their howls make my ears hurt.

The dwarf’s blows seem to shake the entire mountain. In between another blast of his hammer, I hear the subtle clatter of rocks behind and turn around in time as a shadow leaps from above our cave entrance, only to impale itself upon my sword. I hurl it at the others charging in.

It seems like for every one we kill, two more take its place. The battle rages on through the night as the corpses of these shadow fiends start to pile up around us. Food in the mountains must be truly scarce for them to throw themselves at us like this.

Finally, they retreat as the sun breaks the horizon. They do not like the light. The men at my side are tired and wounded. Not one of them save for me and Aldam made it out of the fight without a cut, but none suffered any severe wounds. Solmund and Einar suffered a deep cut, but nothing the mushrooms can’t heal. “All of you, get inside, eat the mushrooms and drink the water. Then clean out your wounds thoroughly or you’ll suffer the taint of those beasts.”

“The rest of you, help me burn their corpses and clean their stench from our land.” No one argues as the wounded stumble in, helped by their kin. Those who aren’t helping the wounded come out to aid me in piling the corpses of the shadow stalkers into a pile.

“Wait!” Vog yells as he stumbles out with a nasty gash across his chest. “I want a trophy.”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “Be quick then. I want these corpses burned.”

He takes out his ax and chops off the head of one.

“I want one too,” Gili says.

“You didn’t even kill one,” Svafar says, punching him in the shoulder.

“I did too. I shot one with my bow,” he says.

“If you want trophies, make it quick. I want this foul stench burned out!” I snap at them.

—

It took a full day for the men who fought by my side to recover. While they rested, the others continued their training. I scouted the land and found the den of those fiends during the day. Once the others recover, we hunt them down and kill them all during the day. They hide in their cave and we bring sacks of bear lard, light them on fire, and toss them into the cave. The beasts howl in pain as several erupt when they come into contact with the trickle of water. We set the entire cave ablaze with our flaming sacks of bear lard. When the flaming lard sacks come into contact with the shallow water in the cave, it looks like a dragon breathed fire upon the shadow stalkers.

Their howling echoes out and some of them even run out into the open air. We slay them as they try to escape the fire. However, it seems the sunlight burns their skin.

As the fires die down, I rush in with the others following and kill any left alive. Koll steps up and puts his hand on my shoulder. “Bothvar, you truly are the most cunning warrior. I have the privilege of fighting alongside. Who would’ve thought using burning bear lard would create such devastating eruptions?”

“I would like to add slingshots to our ships so they can fire them at our enemies,” I say.

“That is a truly great idea. The elves won’t know what hit them when we hurl flaming sacks of bear fat at them,” Throst says.

“The best thing about it is when they go to put them out with water, they’ll erupt in their face,” I say with a smile.

“I don’t get it. Why do they erupt like that?” Griotgard asks.

“The water, for some reason, whenever the burning bear grease comes into contact with water, it has that effect,” I say with a shrug. “Although I believe if you drop one into a lake of water or the sea, it’ll smother the flame, but if we can land them on their ships and they try to put them out with water, it’ll only make them erupt with a larger flame.”

“Well, we’ll have to visit the Builders once we get back. I want this on my ship. I suppose we’ll have to hunt quite a few bears to get us a good supply of the lard,” Koll says.

“We just have to be careful not to kill them all off or we’ll be out the lard for good,” I say.

“Good point,” Throst says.

“Just so you know, since you can’t put the grease fire out with water, you’ll have to smother it with a rock or sand. I learned this the hard way.” My smile doesn’t quite reach my eyes. I run my hands through my beard cautiously.

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Koll says.

We head back to the caves and get to work. The rest of spring goes by as their strength grows. By the time spring ends, most have made their own weapons with the metal and some have crafted armor as well.

As night takes over, I see Bodvar sneaking up on Thormar with one of the skulls of the shadow stalkers. He howls as he gets behind Thormar, causing him to jump, which also causes Svala to nearly fall over laughing. Even Thora snickers. However, this backfires as Thormar cold-cocks Bodvar in the face, sending him on his arse. I only shake my head with a sigh.

—

On one of my many trips back to town, I head over to speak with the boatbuilder, Osvald, and his crazy lover, Gyda. This time her hair is pink and I find that very strange. It’s a different color every time I see her. Osvald isn’t exactly what I would call normal either. The man spends more time with his wood than with other people. He spends a lot of time with the trees. Aldam calls the elves tree huggers. Osvald is king tree-hugger. He speaks of trees as if they’re alive. Constantly pressing his ear up to them as if to hear their heartbeats.

His partner, Gyda, is even crazier. While he loves to build, she loves to destroy. It was her idea to put mounted ballistae on our ships and she created the different bolts to use with them, including the hammer bolt to punch through ships’ hulls.

“How goes it, Osvald and Gyda?” I ask as I walk to them.

“Oh, we’re doing fine, Bothvar. How are you, my friend?” Osvald asks, pulling on his long, braided mustache. He and Gyda are much older than they look. Older than my father, but they don’t look any older than me.

“Good. I’ve come to ask you about an idea I have,” I say as the builder peers down a long wood plank propped up on two wooden pairs of legs that makes it look as if it were a horse. Gyda sits by herself at a table looking at different powders.

“Share away,” he says, not taking his attention from the wooden plank.

“Well, I would like to create a sort of sling that we can attach to our ships that can launch flaming sacks of lard,” I say, trying to explain it with my hands the way a yeti would. It is hard to stop talking that way once you start.

Gyda perks up. “Did someone say launch flaming sacks of lard? That sounds like fun!”

Osvald finally stands up from crouching in front of the plank and paces, as he twirls one finger around one of the braids hanging from his mustache. “That could work quite well if you figure out how to fire the sling without getting burnt. I suppose if you attach some kind stopper on the sling with a lever, it’d take care of that problem, then you’d still have to figure out how to prevent the sling itself from catching fire or melting.”

“Why not just use a metal plate at the center of the sling to hold the hot sack?” Gyda asks.

“Yes, that would work.” Osvald nods his head and looks up at me. “We will make these slings for your new ships.”

“I also have concerns about our ship’s weight capacity. We have a new metal for our armor and weapons that is much heavier than that of iron or steel,” I say as I take out my sword and stab it into the ground.

Osvald inspects the weapon and tries to lift it. Osvald smiles and rubs his hands together. “Yes, that might prove to be a major concern. I’ll have to think about this. You’ve presented me with quite a challenge, Bothvar. It’s been a while since I had a good challenge. I thank you.”

I smile because I can understand his excitement. I’ve come to see why people enjoy challenges. I nod. “Thank you, Osvald, and thank you, Gyda. If there is anything you need, let me know.”

“Of course, I will think long and hard about how to solve the weight problem and I will achieve it. I will probably need to have more of these weapons and armor to experiment with and test my ships,” he says.

“And you will have it.”

—

Here I find myself again, sitting on the dock, staring out at the endless sea. Wishing I could see them all one last time. The sun’s beauty will forever be dimmed by what the world lost to the stars and I’m left here alone while my wife and child feast with my brother and his wife and son. It’s hard to still believe in the gods when they took from me what mattered most. I’m done screaming at the gods who only seem to take from me. How do I find the will to fight on when the people I was fighting for are no longer here?

The best of me died with the love of my life and our son, leaving the rest of me here in broken pieces. Only a promise keeps me going on. “Brother, I will make sure Thora lives to carry on your legacy. I promise you that.”

I just wish I could let go and see my beloved Arngunn and our child in the halls of the afterlife. I would trade all the honor, glory, and riches in the world to spend one more day with them in my arms. “Arni, why did you leave me?”

What kind of question is that? It was I who left her. Left her and our child to face the long night alone. I am not worthy of her love. I don’t think I ever was. She deserved better. A man who won’t let revenge take him away from those who need him.

Suddenly, someone rushes down the dock and jumps into the water. A moment later, Thora’s head pops up onto the surface. “Uncle Bothvi. The water feels good. Come in!”

“You crazy child, you nearly made my heart leap out of my chest!” I snap at her. But then it really does leap out of my chest when something else surfaces. A black shark-like fin pokes out of the water and darts towards Thora. “Thora! Get out of the water!”

I leap in after her, but I’m not fast enough as the monster reaches her. But to my astonishment, she’s lifted out of the water and onto its back. She laughs and giggles as the thing swims circles around me with her on it. I look under the water and see that it is a killer whale and my heart practically stills in my chest. There are several more coming.

“Thora, we have to get out of the water. That is a killer whale. They are dangerous!” I yell.

“Oh, don’t worry uncle Bothvi, this is my friend Meara and her kin. She just wants to play. Oh, what’s that, Meara?” Thora puts her ear down against the whale. “You have something of ours?”

The whale swims over to the docks, and I try to swim as fast as I can over there, too. Thora climbs onto the dock and before I realize it, she’s reaching down into the beast’s maw between its razor-sharp. “Thora, what are you doing!”

My breath catches in my throat, but I let it out as she pulls something out of the whale’s mouth. I climb onto the dock as the other whales swim around the docks, leaping out of the water and doing strange things. One even pops up and sprays me with water out of its mouth. Another slaps its fin against the water. “What in the name of the gods is going on?”

“They’re just having fun, uncle Bothvi. Don’t you hear them talking?” she asks, holding something in her hands.

“You hear them talking?” I ask.

“Don’t you?” she says, nodding. I shake my head.

“What is that in your hand?” I ask.

“Some strange pendant. They said you dropped it,” she says, holding it out to me.

I let out a gasp as I take it from her. It was the pendant I was going to give Arni. I chucked it into the water several cycles ago. They’ve been holding onto it all this time? Why did I throw it away? I regretted that. “Tell them… Tell them I thank them.”

She jumps back into the water and gets back onto the whale, who had the pendant. “They said you’re welcome.”

She then rides it around the harbor, hooting and howling in laughter. She truly is the Daughter of the Sea. I’m going to start calling her little fish.

—

I take several of those who have advanced through the training to go on a hunt. My father, Koll, Einar, Thormar, Throst, Vog, Veleif, Solmund, Skardi, Griotgard, Svala, Bodvar, and even Thora. We head down the mountain and stalk through the forest, following the tracks of a bear. We make the young ones trail back while I lead the party on, following it as it gets near the road. When we catch the bear, I head it off while the others circle it. This is a tusk nose bear with tusks longer than most boars. It doesn’t hesitate to charge. I dash aside from its spearhead charge. I slice its throat, giving it a clean and painless death.

“Ahhh… You could’ve saved us some action,” Vog says with a sigh.

“You’re more than welcome to skin it,” I say with a smile.

“We’ll have the younglings do it. Svala, Thora, and Bodvar. Come,” my father shouts.

The three of them rush up to meet us. “Now is your chance to learn. Let Thormar show you how to salvage the bear and skin it.”

In the distance, heavy footsteps sound off. Many of them. I’m not the only one who hears them, as most of the party looks in the direction they come from.

“It appears the road has travelers,” my father says. “Let us see who it is.”

I nod and lead the way, keeping as quiet as possible while trying to get the others to do the same. We keep low as we get as close as possible to the road. We don’t need to get too close to see who it is. It’s a party of the Southerners. Several elves with blue eyes lead them on horses with bright shiny armor. Behind them is a company of soldiers. They’re marching south.

“Shall we attack?” Einar asks, dragging his weapon out.

“No… Let them be,” I say.

But before anyone can reply, shouts are heard as people from the other side of the road charge out of the forest. At first, I thought it was the Wolves, but to my dismay, it was another clan. Men wearing the skin of others, along with heads of wolves, boars, horses, goats, and all sorts of animals, attack the men. My anger surges at seeing the clan responsible for killing Tonna and the other Valkyrie. They attack the men marching south and they have more in numbers. Killing off several. But to my surprise, the elves use this white magic. One in particular cuts a path against the Bone Eaters. Using light as a shield. Despite that, they are vastly outnumbered. They will not win this fight. And no one deserves to be meat for the Bone Eaters. I charge out and attack, howling a storm at the Bone Eaters. I cut through them without remorse. My blade cuts a savage wearing a bear’s head in half as I watch his intestines flop out. My ax slices through the sword of another and rips open his chest. I can see his beating heart cut in half.

The rest of the Krakens follow me into battle, hacking down the Bone Eaters. I stab through one of them, about to attack the back of the elven wizard warrior. His eyes meet mine and he hesitates. I sling the body down and attack another who was about to slash at him. He makes a decision and attacks a Bone Eater rushing me. For once, we fight side by side with the Southerners and the Elves. But I get carried away and lost in my blood lust as I chase the Bone Eater’s down and kill as many as I can. I hate them all.

When I come back, one of the elven magic wizard warriors is dead while another wizard warrior mourns for him. A human one. He looks up at us. “I don’t know who you are, but thank you for your help. Those monsters would’ve had us.”

“I hate the Bone Eaters. They are worse than any of you Southerners. They are not among us and we kill them on sight. Not even you and your people deserve to be their meal. Cannibals they are, and that is not our way.”

The man stands up and steps toward me, but holds out his hand. “Maybe we’re not that different. My name is Alexandros and I’m with the Paladin order of the Light.”

“Bothvar,” I say, shaking his hand. “And this is my father, Beorcol, Earl of the Kraken clan.”

My father steps up and also shakes his hand. “Normally we’d be the ones fighting you, but you’re lucky my son decided not to, but unfortunately, the Bone Eaters had other plans. But my son is right, we do not associate with such savages. For now, we’ll leave you and your people in peace. But do not mistake us as allies. We will never bow down to your tyrant king.”

The man nods. “Fair enough. Even so, we thank you for your aid, Northerners. We’re in your debt. Perhaps maybe one day we could set aside our differences and become allies instead of enemies.”

“Perhaps. There are greater threats than your people and not just the Bone Eaters. Giants come from the north to raid and attack us. Jotnar, we call them. They nearly destroyed our village, and they were just a raiding party. You should check your shores, for soon they will be upon them,” father says.

“Thank you for the warning. I won’t take it lightly,” Alexandros says, nodding.

“We will be off then,” father says as he turns to the men. “Let’s go.”

On our way out, I overhear the man talking to his men about the dead elf. “Orym fought bravely. He sacrificed himself and saved my own life. And those Krakens… It might be possible to break peace with them. Write up a report and send it to Commander Astacos detailing this situation.”

“You fought well, my son. But maybe next time we hold our blades,” my father says.

“I will never keep my sword sheathed when Bone Eater’s walk upon our land. No one deserves to become their meal. I hate them.”

“As do I, but we cannot risk our own men in a fight that is not ours,” he says.

“No one died of ours, right?” I ask.

“No, but still. It wasn’t our fight,” he says.

“But we may have just started a potential alliance,” I say.

“There will never be an alliance with the Southerners. Not with King Vandil on the throne,” he says with a growl.

“I wasn’t talking about King Vandil or the Southerners. Did you not see? They are separate clans of people. These… Soldiers of the Light. They do not follow kings. They are their own nation I believe. The slaves we have that followed their order told me.”

He scratches his beard. “Still, these children of the Light sound like some followers of some religion. They’ll most likely want to force us to convert to their Light. I will not have it,” he says, ending the conversation.

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Lura Syllana

Chalia finishes the first book of Terel’s and, for the first time, she’s speechless. She won’t even talk about it. She hands the book over to Ochilysse and moves on to the next one. What could possibly be so outlandish that it gets a reaction like that? Or like Charinva? I need to know the secrets within those books. I’m dying to read them.

In class, Voborrie is a little intense when it comes to helping. She’s a bit vocal and brash when she tries to help and teach. Fortunately, this level isn’t too difficult. What is taught isn’t hard to grasp. So, when we are finally ready to take the test to move on, we all pass with ease.

Unfortunately, both Chalia and Charinva make it to level ten, which means Chalia has to move out of the Novice dorms.

I sadly help her pack her things. And, unfortunately, there isn’t much to pack since most Novices don’t have many possessions. I help her carry her things to her new dorm room in the Accepted quarters. One which she gets all to herself. It’s rather small, a bit smaller than the one we shared, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

“I’m going to miss you,” I say, desperately holding onto my tears. Life with Chalia was better than anything else I’ve had. She truly felt like a sister to me. She smiles and hugs me tightly. “Don’t worry. I won’t be far, and soon you’ll join me. You and the others have been rising through the ranks so fast. It’s nearly as fast as Charinva. Just be patient, and soon you’ll be right next door. I know it, and soon we’ll both become sisters together.”

I look at her and wipe away the few tears that escaped, nodding. “I can’t wait.”

“Now, come to me once you finish reading the books. There’s a lot I want to talk to you about.” I nod and give her another hug. Then I make the lonely track back to my empty dorm. It feels so dark without her. I can’t help but wonder who I’ll get stuck with. What if it’s a noble? That would be the worst.

A knock at the door and I walk up to answer it and see Melyis standing there, clasping her elbow as she stares at the floor. “Hey.”

She looks up and bites her lip. “I was wondering since Chalia had moved out if I could move in? My roommate also just reached level ten, which isn’t all that bad since she was rather… Hard to live with.”

I nod. “Of course, you can move in. I would like that very much. I was just thinking about who I would end up with as a roommate and I’m glad it’s you. The last thing I want is to get stuck with a noble.”

She smiles. “Well, I’m glad you’re happy. You’re one of the few friends I’ve ever had. You, Chalia, Ralodan and Biremeril. I’ve never had friends before. I never imagined having friends would make me so happy. Please tell me if I am being too forward, but I think of you as a sister I never had.”

“Aww, thank you. I feel the same way,” I say before I realize I have pulled her in for a hug. She is so sweet and sometimes a bit naive. But I remember seeing the scars all over her back, and I can’t imagine how anyone would ever want to hurt her.

I help her move her things into the room, which is hardly anything at all besides the robes she’s been given and some books she’s taken out of Charinva’s library. For not being very good at reading, she’s become quite the scholar.

After she is settled, we join Biremeril and Ralodan in getting some of our hours knocked out. So far, we’ve managed to get six to eight hours done a day, and we’ve knocked out over two-thirds of the hours required. It helps when you do them together. Today, we all head to the kitchens to help cook and prepare the food. Then we get to eat real fast before we help clean up.

Ralodan and I wait for the other two to finish their tasks out in the hall, which gives me time to finally ask him what I’ve been wanting to ever since the High Father’s sermon. “Ralodan… Can I ask you something?”

He nods with a smile. “Sure, you can ask me anything.”

I look down at my feet and shift my weight back and forth between my heels and my toes. “Back during the High Father’s sermon, you… Did you…. Did you feel anything?”

I look up to meet his eyes, and his face grows hard. He nods. “I felt something I didn’t like. I don’t know what it was. There is something about him that makes me suspicious. I don’t trust the High Father.”

I wish I could tell him about the Brothel. I only nod my head. “Did you see everyone else and how they responded? It was like they were entranced by his words.”

He nods. “I think he is using some kind of spell of some sort. Not any source that I can make out though.”

“Why do you think it didn’t affect us like everyone else?” I ask.

“I don’t know why it didn’t affect me, but I’m sure it didn’t affect you because of that ring you wear,” he says, pointing at my hand.

My eyes go wide as I grasp my hand, feeling the invisible ring. “You can see that?”

He nods. “For whatever reason, I’ve always been able to see what shouldn’t be seen. Like that ring on your finger. I know I shouldn’t be able to see it, but it glows so brightly. I can tell it gives you some protection from whatever gives the High Father power in his words. Don’t worry, though, I will not tell anyone about your ring.”

“Thank you,” I say with a smile of relief. When Melyis and Biremeril arrive, things stay quiet between us.

“So? What took you two so long?” I ask with a smile.

“Oh, just Zarlatha Arcaneseeker needed assistance,” Biremeril says.

“What he means to say, Zarlatha convinced him to do all of her work,” a tall, a rather broad woman with short hair and long ears, interrupts.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Ralodan says, giving Biremeril a smile. “Biremeril has a good heart and helps everyone.”

“More like he’s soft,” the girl says with a laugh and walks out.

“Who is she?” I ask.

“Oh, her? That’s Ilethana. She just likes to give me a hard time,” Biremeril says, his eyes avoiding everyone else’s as he scratches the back of his neck. “You shouldn’t tolerate it,” I say. He only shrugs.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

Shimmering eyes are as blue as the deep sea that seem to glow even when there is no light. Golden hair that shines brighter than the sun. She’s a pure goddess with a touch as warm as a hearth of a burning flame. The way she looks at me is of pure love and devotion. The sun slowly peeks through our balcony as she snuggles up in my arms, kissing me softly. She’s my beautiful wife, my love, my heart. I would give her all the realms even if it cost me everything else. She’s everything to me. Her kisses give me life. They are what fill me with purpose. She’s given me everything I’ve ever wanted in life, beautiful children and her love most of all. With it, I feel like I can take on anyone. Not even giants are a match for my hammer because her love gives me the strength to defeat them all. Even the storms will bow before me when I have the heart of such a strong woman. With her by my side, there are no impossibilities.

I open my eyes and see nothing but the dark cave, feeling more alone than I’ve ever felt without Arngunn’s deep blue eyes to look into. It was only a dream, but it felt so… real. That woman, I know it was Arni… She shared the same face. The same smile. Why do my own dreams give me hope only to take it away when I awaken? What could’ve happened if I had only stayed home? If I had just let go of my hate. My need for revenge. Would she still be here? Would our son grow old? Would we have had more children? These thoughts haunt me. The strange thing is it felt more like a memory than a dream. It felt like I lived it. How could that be? Could be what is to come when I reunite with her in the halls of the gods? I must earn my worthiness so I can make that my fate.

The morning came, and I met with my father’s friends at the gates. They followed me up the mountain to the cave where the others trained. Einar wasn’t too keen on taking orders from Aldam and being put to work. Koll and Throst didn’t complain, however.

While Aldam pushed them to their limits, he fashioned thin bracelets for them all to wear. That’s when I noticed his hammer is made out of the glow metal as well. Not the same hammer he went to battle with, but a simple blacksmith’s hammer.

I left them to Aldam to fetch my siblings and Thora. It is time she learns to truly fight and grow strong. If my brother and I knew of this type of training, who knows how things could’ve gone.

I meet with my father, who’s overseeing the construction of our harbor, pulling him away from any ears that might get back to my mother. “I am going to train Bodvar, Svala, and Thora.”

He shakes his head. “As much as I’d like to, your mother will not agree.”

“If Thorkel and I trained at their age, do you not think things would’ve gone differently? Maybe Thorkel might still be alive. Maybe our wives and children would still be here,” I say.

He scratches his beard as he turns to look over the town. “You may be right. I’ll talk to your mother. In the meantime, take Bodvar and Thormar up to train.”

“I will take Thora. She’s my responsibility,” I say with no room for argument.

“Your mother won’t see it that way,” he says.

“You have to make her see it. Thora will not be weak like Thorkel and I were.”

“My son, you think strength comes from the body?” father asks, his eyes meeting mine.

“Where else does it come from?” I ask.

He places his hand on my shoulder. “You need a strong mind and a strong heart before you could ever have a strong body. Strength comes from your will and your heart. Make them strong and your body will be strong as well. I’m surprised you don’t know that seeing how strong you’ve become.” 

“You’ve always been wise, father.”

He nods. “Now, take your siblings and show them the way.”

I nod and walk away to find my brothers inside the hall, pelting Thon with a thousand questions. Thormar beams with utter excitement. “Is it true that banshees exist?”

Thon nods. “They’re spirits of the dead who come to herald their descendants.”

“Have you killed one before?” Bodvar asks, his eyes lighting up.

“Can you kill the dead?” Thon asks.

“I don’t know. Can’t you just bash ’em?” Bodvar asks.

“Bodvar, don’t be a complete and utter fool. You can’t just bash a Banshee, they’re a corporeal spirit. Physical weapons won’t work on them. Or so I’ve heard,” Thormar says.

Bodvar turns and gives him a good kick in the shin. “Don’t call me a fool! I’m not a fool.”

“You bloody bastard! What was that for?” Thormar hisses as he practically jumps up and down on one leg while rubbing his shin. I can only snicker. These two will never change.

“Banshees aren’t necessarily evil and you’re right, you can’t just bash a spirit. It takes magic to kill them, but I wouldn’t kill a banshee, for they only seek to protect their descendants. It is those who they warn of that need killing,” Thon says.

“Alright, you two. Stop annoying our honored guest and come with me. I’ve got work for you,” I say, grabbing them by the collars of their tunics and dragging them away.

“Hey! I’ve got loads more questions,” Thormar says, struggling.

“Father’s orders,” I say.

They grumble and complain as they follow me out the side gate that, oddly enough, doesn’t have a scratch on it compared to a few paces down where the entire wall has been destroyed. We make our way up the mountain again.

“What are we doing?” Thormar asks.

“You’ll see,” I say.

“Will mother be mad that we’re going into the mountains?” Thormar asks.

“No questions. Just come,” I say.

“Will we get to fight a bear? I heard you fought a bear and killed it. I could take one on,” Bodvar says.

I turn and eye him. The boy is hardly big enough to fight a hare. I turn back and continue on. “You’d make an excellent supper for a bear.”

“I would not. The bear would be my supper.” He puffs his chest out. I don’t doubt he’d try to fight a bear. Bodvar has always been fearless. I think he must’ve been born a few ore men short of a full boat. Stupid boy.

We head down the path and arrive at the cave where the others work hard. Solmund, Griotgard, and Skardi are making good progress. They’ve got the wristbands on and are out in the cave swinging pickaxes. Koll, Einar, and Throst are still working with the pebble. Aldam continues to pound his anvil, making more materials for the village. He looks up at me. “Boy, if you go back down to the village, take these fools with you and have them carry down the nails and get more iron. I don’t have a lot left, so you’ll have to go out prospecting.”

I nod. “I already know where some veins are and coal as well.”

Aldam smiles with a hint of pride. “Good lad. I figured as much. You spent a whole winter up here. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

“Here’s these two more, put ’em to work. Come on, you three. Let’s head back. I need to convince my mother to let Thora and Svala train up here,” I say.

The three of them look ready to collapse. Griotgard bends over and rests his hands on his knees, heaving for air. “Strike me dead and send me to Niflheim. It could be no worse than how I feel now. I need a quick breather. How did you do it, Bothvar? I can barely move.”

“Come on brother, you’re acting like a Southerner,” Solmund says before he nearly stumbles over.

Skardi is drenched in sweat and teeters back and forth. I can’t help but smirk. My time here was far different and more of a war than work. I nod towards the cave. “Get some cave water that has the glow rocks in it and eat a mushroom or two and you’ll feel better.”

The three stumble over to the cave. Aldam gives my brothers both a little pebble. Or at least sets it on the ground for them to pick it up. Neither of them succeeds at it. Aldam only smirks. “You boys are weaker than a rotten board. Now go in there and drink the water and eat a shroom. We’re going to need to find another cave at the rate we’re going.”

“Well, hopefully after I fetch Svala and Thora, it’ll be it for now. I suppose after Koll, Einar, and Throst finish, their children will be next. Then our crews after that. We need to be careful who we train. The wrong people could be truly devastating. Especially Grom, Thrain Haklangsson, and their lot.”

“Aye, you see the dilemma now, don’t you? The more people who have this strength, the less of an advantage it becomes. That’s why the dwarves hoarded it for so long. Our Iron Mountains are full of this metal and the shrooms with large caverns of pools glowing with it along with. However, only those who’re deemed worthy can mine it and gain its strength. Being the brother clan of the royal line of succession gave my clan access to it. But not all dwarves get it. You can tell who the royal line considers worthy by who shares our iron skin. That’s how the Ironhammer’s got their name. Of course, when your lot arrived, or I suppose the southern lot, we helped them because they were the enemy of our enemy, the Wood Elves.”

“What did you mean when we arrived? Or the Southerners? Where did we come from?” I ask.

“Goat’s blood, boy. Do you not know where you come from?” Aldam asks.

“I heard we’re not from this land, but our home has been long forgotten. We don’t know much beyond our ancestor, King Bjorn the first king. They say he was the first to arrive with an army of settlers. Of course, they also discovered that humans, as you call us, were already here. The southern Saxons and the ones south of them. But later did we realize they were different from the people south of them. The Tyrants. King Vandil’s people who worship different gods.”

“Well, I don’t know much about the Saxons, as you call them. But I know Vandil’s line. It was his ancestor, King Alexander, the first great king who arrived here. He brought an army and made the mistake we dwarves made when we left the mountains for the first time.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“They started chopping trees down. The elves don’t like that, bunch of tree huggers, the lot of them. They think Trees are alive and the pointy-eared bastards think they can talk to ’em or something. A crazy bunch of bush fuckers, if you ask me. But to them, chopping a tree down is a reason for war. That’s how our war began with them. And that’s how King Alexander and his men got themselves mixed into it. They weren’t a strong lot. Rather weak at the time. This was a couple of hundred cycles ago or more. I was but a wee lad at the time.”

My jaw drops. “How old are you?”

The dwarf counts on his fingers. “Let’s see. I was born only a few cycles after my cousin Nesley was born. It was oh… about 1104 Dragon time. What cycle is it today?”

“What are you talking about? What is Dragon time?” I ask.

“For the love of the gods, boy, how do you not know what dragon time is?” Aldam asks, holding his hands up in frustration.

“For us, it’s the 272nd summer since we have arrived here. Give or take a cycle. The wise one keeps track of these things. To most it is not important,” I say.

“Well, Dragon, time started when the Dragons arrived and formed the world into their image. Of course, they weren’t the first ones here you see. The Gronns and the Giant Titans were fighting over the land before the Dragons arrived. Neither could stand against the Dragons though. The Dragon Lords are gods in their own right and killed many of the Gronns and Giants. Of course, the elves will tell you this Lady of the Forest of theirs came and made peace between them, breaking the land into many different lands scattered throughout the seas. But that’s just what the elves say. They worship this forest lady as if she were Hreitharr himself. But she ain’t no builder god. She’s some witch, if you ask me. However, it’s said that she made the elves and the orcs. Or at least the elves we have today. They used to be little savages who were shorter than us dwarves who huddled in small tribes throughout the forests. Cowering from the Dragons, Gronns, and Giants. But then she made four elves out of them. Their names are Deker, Alluin, Syphire, and Saria. Two boys and two girls. And made orcs out of Gronns. Two orcs. Sharogg and Barathogg. Maybe she mated with them, I don’t know. But dragon time began when the Dragons first came here.”

“How do you know when they came?” I ask.

“The dragons told us,” he says as if that were obvious.

“You spoke with the dragons?” I ask.

“Well, not me personally, but my ancestors did. I have only seen one dragon in my entire lifetime. It was large enough to black out the sun. You do not want to meet one of them. They are smart and cunning, but they’d sooner eat you for breakfast than tolerate your presence. We’re just but mere mortals to them,” he says.

“Huh…” I say scratching my head. This is a lot to know. Griotgard, Solmund, and Skardi walk out of the cave. “Well, let’s get to it then. Come on, you three.”

They seem to have recovered some. The water and shrooms really are something else. They take turns pushing the cart down the mountain as we head back to town.

Once we arrive, I split off from them to find my father. He’s in the hall talking to my mother. They’re with the leaders of the Valkyrie tribe and the Builder tribe. Among them are Dasyra Ragnarsdóttir, Amalgunda, and Amalasontha, along with the old chief of the Builders Trefor Treharne, and his head carpenter, Aethelwin. Thon also sits in the corner. This time, Svala and Thora pester him.

The three Valkyrie leaders give me a nod in recognition. I return it with respect. “These giants will return. We need to prepare for them and have a plan of action when the time comes,” my father says.

 “That we can agree upon,” Dasyra says. I still can’t believe she is the Valkyrie’s matriarch. She looks far younger than Amalasontha and Amalgunda and yet they refer to her lead. It’s not that Amalasontha and Amalgunda are old. They’re not young either. About the same age as my mother even. “We’ll need to strengthen our walls.”

“I’d suggest adding ballistas throughout your walls,” Aethelwin says. “We can come to some agreement by installing them.”

“Yes, that would make the giants think twice,” father says with a nod.

I step forward. “May I make a suggestion?”

“Your advice is always welcomed, Bothvar Beorcolsson, friend of the yeti and bone breaker,” Amalasontha says, but the smile she wears is one of sadness. Bone breaker? I never heard that title before. The other doesn’t surprise me. However, mother and father seem to look at me with curious expressions.

“I think we should train our warriors on how to fight these giants. Shield walls and the other tactics we use against the Southerners and the elves will not work. They can break the shield wall as easily as a twig.”

“Do you have any suggestions on how to fight them?” Dasyra asks.

“We need to fight like wasps and swarm them. Chop at their feet and bring them down to their knees so we can take their heads or go for their hearts. That worked well, even though it might take four or five men for each giant,” I say.

“That is good for fighting them one at a time, but what if they match our numbers?” Amalasontha asks.

“If we can make walls strong enough to withstand their attacks, we can drive them into a narrow passageway to force them to fight us one at a time,” my father says.

“Might I add a suggestion?” Aethelwin asks. Everyone nods. “What if we make crossbows with rope attached to bind their arms and legs? Or even rope with weights attached to snare their wrists.”

“It’d take several people to restrain them. A giant can pick up even the largest of our men as easy as picking up a stick,” my father says.

“We need spell swords like Thon. He was the most effective against them,” I say.

They all look over at the spell sword, who meets their gaze. “I cannot stay. In fact, I’ve stayed too long. I should be on my way. I have my own journey.”

“Very well, then we shall reward you for your aid, friend,” father says as he shows Thon his treasure. “Take what you think is worth your service.”

Thon looks over the treasure, and he picks up a glowing orb. “You have a shielding orb? You’ll want to keep this on your ships. It’ll shield your ships from magic. You’ll need it more than I will.”

He sets the orb down. Then looks at a particular, rather ugly, necklace and meets my father’s gaze. “This will suffice.”

“Thank you again, for all your service. If you’re ever in the North, you’re always welcome here at Stormfront.” My father holds out his hand and Thon takes it in a shake, nodding.

I walk over to him and hold out my own hand. “It was an honor to fight alongside such a warrior as yourself.”

“I say the same, Bothvar, Giant Slayer.” He shakes my hand and nods.

I laugh. “If I am the Giant slayer, then you are the bane of them.”

“Then so shall it be. From now on, Bothvar will be known as Giant Slayer and Thon will be known as Giantsbane,” Sigvor says. He nods once more before he turns and walks away.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

Night has taken over. We all work to help carry the wounded to my father’s Keep. There, Thon helps my mother, her sisters, and several of the slaves that Sigvor has taken in, including the priests and elves, help heal the wounded. I’m amazed at Thon’s ability to heal. His abilities even surpass that of my mother and my Aunt Sigvor. That is saying much since my Aunt Sigvor is by far one of the best healers our village has ever had and my mother, along with their sister Ingithora, is not far behind. But Thon’s abilities far surpass their own. Even they’re admittedly amazed. He can even reattach severed arms and legs without a trace of scars. With his help, the wounded are all healed as if they were never hurt. I finally relent and allow him to heal my wounds. A piercing green light fills me with warmth. It invigorates me, and the pain fades as my body is rejuvenated. My rib seems to mend back in place and the bruises and cuts disappear. That was a bit painful, but now I feel great. Even the ringing leaves my ears.

What surprises me, even more, is my mother and my aunts. I never thought I’d see the day they’d set their pride aside and ask for teaching. Thon is willing to show them his techniques for weaving the muscles and flesh back together as if he was stitching up a tattered pair of trousers. However, his stitching leaves the trousers better than they were before. Strangely, I can understand what he is doing as I watch, but I don’t know how to do it myself. Or maybe I am just not strong enough to do it. Even the Valkyrie Matriarch who arrived with her healers were impressed. And it seems she is a very skilled healer as well. They both use this strange green magic.

I slip away to make several trips up and down the mountain to gather several barrels of the ore water and a few sacks of the mushrooms, taking my brothers with me. We find a cave near the pathway to my own cave. I enter it to make sure it is empty. Thankfully, it is. It’s full of mushrooms and glowing ore. Fortunately, most of the ore is at the bottom of pools of water. I eat a few mushrooms and drink as much water as I can before I make the track down the mountain with two full barrels of water as my brothers carry giant sacks of mushrooms.

The Builders arrive, and my father makes a deal with them before they get to work. I help clear out some debris before stepping aside to let them work.

Koll finds me and pulls me aside. “Your father mentioned that you’d show us how you got your strength.”

I nod. “Get Einar and Throst and meet me at the side gate in the morning. Tomorrow, I will teach you how to gain this strength.”

He nods. “I look forward to it.”

As he walks away, I seek out Griotgard, Solmund, and Skardi. They are with their father, who was wounded and recovering from being healed. I pull them aside. “You three must come with me at my father’s request.”

They exchange looks and nod. They follow me out the side gate and up the mountain to the same cave we all discovered as children. The cave I made a home for The Longest Night. As we enter through the door, I built and inside.

“Wow, you’ve really made yourself at home here, Bothvar,” Griotgard says as they follow me to the pools of light.

“My father wants me to teach you three how to gain the strength I found here. Along with Koll, Einar, Throst, and Thormar. However, I do not want to teach them here. This is Thorkel’s cave. I want it to remain a place of solace and solitude. It’s one of the few things I have left of him that was truly ours,” I tell them as I look up at the hammer that’s rested there for so long. Still shines as bright as the day we found it.

“We understand, Bothvar,” Skardi says.

“I agree. It feels wrong to let others know of this place. It was Thorkel who discovered it. Others would desecrate it and seek to claim the hammer for themselves,” Griotgard says.

“We will search for a similar cave with the ore and mushrooms and then tomorrow we will begin training.” They all nod and follow me out as we head through the hidden passageway out to the root of the mountain. “Let’s stay together and be weary. This mountain is full of these fiends the yeti call Shadow Stalkers. They’re vicious and cunning and they too dwell in these caves along with yeti. The yeti we can bargain with, but the creatures of the shadow only seek to kill.”

They nod and follow behind me. We all have our weapons drawn. We make our way up the mountain until we find another cave. I can smell the musky scent of something living in there. I recognize it. “There’s a bear in there. Maybe more.”

“How can you tell?” Griotgard asks.

“I can smell it.”

“Yes. I remember when I ate the mushrooms last. I could smell things I couldn’t before,” Skardi says.

“Let us move on.” They follow me farther up the mountain, but a familiar foul scent catches my nose and I tense up ready to strike. I hear them stalking around. “The Shadow Stalkers are close. Stay behind.”

We slowly walk around a curve to find a cave full of them. They see us and several ear-piercing screeches echo through the mountains. They charge at us, but they aren’t as fast as I remember. I slice through the first one’s torso and carve a path, leaving a trail of their corpses. The fight is over before it starts as I cut the last one’s head off.

“These are what Shadow Stalkers are? They’re beyond revolting,” Solmund says, covering his nose.

Their stench is foul. Like rotting flesh. They don’t follow me as I enter the cave. The smell gets even worse. There are no mushrooms here, but plenty of the ore. However, this cave is far too corrupted by their filth. It won’t do.

We continue on until we find another hidden cave down a narrow passageway. I don’t smell anything so I head in. Thank the gods, this one is empty and there is plenty of the mushroom and the ore. This mountain seems to be rich with both. I turn back to the others. “You three might as well stay here and begin. Drink the water, eat the mushrooms, and push your body to limits. That is how you get strong.”

“Where are you going?” Griotgard asks.

“To get the tools we need.” They nod before I leave to head back to Thorkel’s cave. That’s what I’m going to call it from now on. I grab the tools I have there and bring them back to our new cave. Then I head down the mountain to the village where I find Aldam in his ruined shop.

I’m surprised to find him arguing with another dwarf. It looks like a dwarf woman. I think I remember her. She’s his sister… What was her name?

The two bicker back and forth as if it’s normal. “This is exactly what you deserved. You never took care of your tools anyway. Mother always told you to keep them in better shape.”

“Baggisli, will you ever shut up?” Aldam asks. That’s it… Baggisli!

“Is this a bad time?” I ask.

The two dwarves look up at me. “Bothvar. It’s the perfect time. My sister is only yapping like she always does.”

She glares at him. “You are a slag-headed, hollow anvil of a dwarf.”

“And you’re a molten brained, yapper, with a mouth the size of a cave entrance!” Aldam snaps back before he turns back to me. “Bothvar, you remember my sister Baggisli? She set up shop with the Valkyrie tribe around the same time I came here.”

She huffs, turns her back on Aldam, and crosses her arms against her chest with clear disdain. “See if I’ll help you fix your shop.” 

“I didn’t ask for your help. Don’t you have work to do? Hreitharr knows hard work is a stranger to you.” That earns him a glare.

“You are such a…”

“A what?” Aldam asks.

She lets out an exasperated growl, dragging her hand down her somewhat chiseled face. She shares the same bronze hair as Aldam that’s long and braided and the same dark gray skin. It now makes sense how they got the gray skin. I always thought it was just a dwarf thing. She’s nearly as thick and muscular as him as well. She walks off, grumbling. “You’re impossible.”

Aldam just slaps his forehead in a gruff huff. “Women! Even worse, sisters… Sorry about that. That woman is a pure volcano. Always quick to blow her top off over nothing. What do you need, lad?”

“I can trust you, right?”

“Of course,” the dwarf says without hesitating.

“My father has asked me to show those closest to our family how to grow strong with the glowing rock and mushrooms. I need some tools for them to harness the metal.”

“I see. But as you can see, my shop is a little…” We both look at the pile of rubble that was once his shop. “I’ll tell ya what, you help me dig em out, you can take what you need and I’ll help ya show ’em the proper way to handle Nedraetium. The dwarven way. We’ll whip your crew into shape and we’re going to make some of the best Nedraetium weapons and armor no one has ever seen. Just be careful. Ships can’t take too much of the metal before they become too heavy. That’s always been a problem with the metal and the reason the price for it is so high even though few can use it. It’s one of the hardest metals there is, but also one of the heaviest.”

I nod and then help him clear out most of the rubble from his shop. We manage to salvage most of his tools and fill a cart with them, along with all but one of his anvils. He’s got more than I thought he had. At least half a dozen. Why does he need so many? I haul the cart full of supplies up as Aldam follows with another cart. We head past the bear’s cave and the mess of shadow stalkers before we arrive at the narrow passageway. Then I unload the cart of tools and anvils before we haul it to the cave. Inside, all three of them are pushing the ground. They stop as they see.

“You’re back,” Solmund says. They’re all drenched in sweat.

“How do we know if we’re getting stronger?” Griotgard asks.

“You won’t realize it until you have to use it,” I say.

“Ain’t that the truth!” The dwarf snorts a laugh. Then the ore catches his eyes. “By Hreitharr’s beard, these mountains are rich with Nedraetium. And those emerald iridescent shrooms. Before I came here, I never knew there was anywhere outside of the Iron mountains with the metal.”

“What is he doing here?” Griotgard asks.

“Do you want to learn how to make the best armor and weapons out of the Nedraetium or not, ya insulin boy?” Aldam asks.

“What do you mean? We have to make it?” Griotgard asks, raising his eyebrows to the top of his forehead.

“Where else did ya think Bothvar got it from? He had to craft it. It’s a good thing he learned from the best and I’m talking about me, ya goat-brained slag shitters. Of course, I’ll give the boy credit. He managed to figure out how to smelt and craft the metal. It’s not a simple thing to do. Much harder than iron.”

My chest swells with pride. Some things will never change and that brings a smile to my face. “I’m glad you decided to help us, Aldam.”

“Of course. You think those thick-skulled, pee-brained Jotnar will just leave you alone now that they know where ya stay? They’ll be back and when they do, we’ll teach ’em how stupid they really are. Now, why are you all standing around for? Get to it. The metal won’t smelt itself. And before you can even think about smelting it, you need to be strong enough to pick it up.”

The three of them get back to pushing the ground. “What in the name of Hreitharr are ya goat-brained trolls doing? Do ya want to get strong, or do you want to keep pushing dirt?”

Even I look at him. How does he expect them to get strong without doing ground pushes?

“Who is Hreitharr?” Griotgard asks.

“He’s the Dwarven builder god who taught us how to smith metal, among other things. He’s also our ancestor. The first king of the dwarves was his son. At least that’s the rumor. Hreitharr left many, many cycles ago. He’s a crafty one and could build the most magnificent things with a hammer and an anvil. They say he has a peg leg, though.”

The four of us just trade looks and shrug.

“Come here, ya ram turds. This is how dwarves do it.”

The three of them all get up and walk over to him. He pulls out six thin dark emerald bracelets. Then he hands one to Skardi. “Put these on your wrists.”

Skardi goes to grab it, and the thing nearly takes him down to the ground with it. “What a bunch of goblin shit. I didn’t think you’d be so weak. We have our work cut out for us.”

“Let me see that,” Griotgard says, pushing Skardi aside as he reaches down to pick up the bracelet. He can’t make it budge after huffing and puffing in his attempt.

He steps back and blinks. “What is that thing made out of?”

I lean down and pick it up, hefting it in my hand. “This is that metal, isn’t it?”

“You betcha. These bracelets are pure Nedraetium. Made em myself for just such an occasion,” the dwarf says with pride. “Of course, you’re too strong to really see any benefit from ’em. They’re more for weak little turds like these three. But I guess we’ll have to start out with something smaller.”

The dwarf takes out a small tiny little pebble that also has the dark emerald color that’s nearly black, just like my weapons and armor. He sets it on the ground in front of them. “See if you arsefaces can lift that.” Griotgard steps up, and it takes all his might to lift it a finger length before he drops it, causing a loud thud. “Well, I guess that’s a start. We’re going to need to put in a lot of work to get your troll snots in shape. Let’s get to it then.”

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Lura Syllana

It only takes us a quarter of a season to learn what we need and pass the test to reach level three. Our next class is taught by Voborrie, and we’re given Sins against the Light by Amaranthae, another current Mother of the Light. Fortunately, the book seems to be brief compared to the others, and Terel’s notes at the back make it easy to learn.

The most severe sin anyone can commit is to take a life since it is the duty of the servants of the Light to preserve life. The other sins are less severe, but not by much. Lust of the body makes those who desire turn into lesser beings controlled by lesser urges. Worst, anyone who takes what is not offered or freely given when it comes to the acts of the flesh has committed a grave sin.

To a lesser degree of sin is to take what is not yours or not given on to you – when speaking about worldly possessions.

To covet and envy is a dark and slippery path to follow. It leads to greed, thievery, and even murder. This comes from attachment and possessiveness to worldly possessions.

Attachment to a thing leads to possessiveness and greed, along with the fear of loss. These traits can lead to one sacrificing duty over self-possession. Attachment by itself is not wrong, but it can go too far. If one can learn to let go, attachment can be tolerated. However, attachment can also lead to jealousy and envy, both of which will make a person irrational and erratic.

As the Angel Akrasiel said, it is better to stand in the Light of the truth than hide in the shadow of lies. Lying leads to more lies, and soon you cannot tell the truth from lies. They are like chains that bind you to the darkness. It is easy to drown in your own lies when lies are all that come out of your mouth.

Laziness, or better said as sloth, is a slowness in the mindset. A disinclination to action or labor. The field will not plow itself and food will not be harvested without the hard work of the farmer. Likewise, without the work of the priest or priestess, those who are ill and sick will not be healed if the priest does not act. The priest cannot act without the hard work of learning the ways of healing that the Light provides. Without hard work, the civilized world falls apart.

Wrath, anger, and hate are sins that are just as dangerous to those who wield them as they are to the ones who suffer from them. They are like poison one eats to kill the one he hates. It does more damage to the hateful than it does to the hated. You cannot put out a fire with fire, it’ll only cause it to spread. Likewise, you cannot put hate out with more hate, or anger with anger. You must put a fire out with water and likewise, only love, compassion, kindness, and hope can smother the fires of hate, anger, and wrath.

The Angel Akrasiel said that self-pride leads to arrogance, and that leads to ignorance. Pride is a complicated thing. It can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Pride in your work makes you work harder and smarter. It strengthens the quality of your work. You gain confidence in your abilities. But if you take that pride and put it in yourself, you become arrogant, and with arrogance, ignorance is not far behind. Like a young apprentice who believes just because he knows how to make a good horseshoe, he is now an expert and is ready to take up the master’s apron. However, when one believes they know it all, they will soon realize how little they know. The apprentice may know how to make a good horseshoe, but what will he do when someone needs a hammer? Without the humility and humbleness to accept the help and advice of those with more experience, the apprentice will only make more horseshoes to the benefit of no one. Ignorance is blindness. The only cure for the pride that swells the ego and leads to arrogance and ignorance is humility and humbleness.

Last is gluttony. To eat every day as if it were the harvest will lead to scarcity and laziness. Food only comes when the crops are grown and harvested. Food is not a limitless resource and should be eaten with caution. Fasting helps remind us what it is to be hungry, for there are many who suffer from starvation.

These lessons we learn from the book make a lot of sense and are rather indisputable. However, Amaranthae mentions attachments, but she never connects them with relationships. Most of her words on attachments are from worldly possessions and not with people. If she never mentions relationships, then why are they forbidden? That doesn’t make any sense.

“Why are relationships forbidden?” I ask the others.

Biremeril looks up. “Because they get in the way of duty and service.”

“I don’t know about that,” Ralodan says, scratching his chin. “To me, it feels like relationships only strengthen one’s sense of duty and service. Doesn’t love give us strength? Why should we not embrace it? I understand how attachment leads to possession and possession leads to the fear of loss, but even Amaranthae mentions that if someone can learn to let go, then attachment isn’t as bad as it could be. I think forbidding relationships is a mistake by the church.”

“I agree with you,” I say.

“And so do I,” Melyis says as she smiles at Ralodan. Those two seem to have been getting quite close lately. Once again, I feel that pang of jealousy. I have to learn to let go and not be jealous. She’s right, jealousy leads to erratic and irrational behavior. Besides, I now know the truth of Orym. He is still out there, fighting. I pray he returns and will forgive me of my doubt.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Biremeril says, biting his lip. “But it isn’t up to us to decide. We can only follow the teachings and rules set by those who are above us.”

“Just because they are above us doesn’t make them right, and just because it is a rule or law doesn’t make it just,” Ralodan says.

Biremeril clenches his fist but releases it with a deep breath. I can tell he’s still uncomfortable with defying those with authority. I truly feel for him. No one should have to experience what he has.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

The cave is just how I left it. The entrance was still walled up with the door securely shut. I don’t waste time entering the cave. I grab my armor and don it. With my weapons in hand, I take one look at the hammer that hasn’t moved, shaking my head before I rush out as quickly as I can as I see the giant ships reach the harbor. They’re much faster than I anticipated. I need to get back now!

I run as fast as I can. The armor is a little heavier than I remember, but I don’t let it slow me. I need to be more vigilant. I’ve become too slack. Too comfortable these past few cycles raising Thora. I’ve forgotten the need to remain strong.

The boats dock and men as tall as trees leap out, smashing our docks. They’ve got axes and swords as large as men. I enter the side gate to watch guards reluctantly charge the tree-size giants, only to get swept aside with a single swing of a giant’s gigantic sword. They were swatted away as if they were flies.

A sudden burst of fire erupts at the giant, engulfing it. It swings widely in a panic before it falls back into the water, creating a splash the size of our buildings. I look to the source of the flame to see Thon, the stranger, with his blade drawn and his hand held out. Lightning erupts from it and crashes into the water, frying several Jotnar.

More giants crash to shore as they leave their ships. Some of their ships crash into our docks, smashing them along with our ships. The Giant’s ships alone are four times the size of our own and taller than our walls. I can feel my own hands trembling.

I shake off my fear and charge at them. The closest one meets my charge with his ax raining down from over his head. I get my sword up in time to deflect the coming blow, but it makes my knees buckle as I drop to one. They’re strong. Real strong. I slice the giant’s shin with my ax and it drops to one knee. After I shrug off his sword, my blade slices off his other leg before my ax finds his throat as he falls. The crashing sound of their weapons smashing our buildings makes my ears pop and pound. It’s disorienting.

Before I can react, I’m sent through the air with a swift kick from a giant that’s so tall it could touch the roofs of our buildings without standing on its toes. I burst through the walls of the house behind me as I crash to the floor. That hurt. That hurt a lot. A groan escapes my lips as I try to breathe. It takes a second to find my breath. The wind got knocked right out of me. I think I cracked a rib. It hurts to breathe. I force myself back onto my feet, noticing women and children hiding, eyes full of fear and tears. I wave my hands at them. “Run to the forest!”

I charge back out of the house as the giants bash their way through our town. However, a good many of them have died from the magic and blade of the spell sword. I have no idea what kind of magic he’s using, but his strange sword seems to suck the life out of them when it pierces into them. I’m glad we didn’t make him our enemy.

Aldam Bronzehammer leaps from the top of a building and brings his massive Warhammer down on the head of a giant, bashing his skull into porridge as his brains splatter everywhere. The dwarf charges at another one, leaping aside of a downward chop of the giant’s ax before he swings his hammer against his knee. The giant roars out in agony as his knee buckles before Aldam swings and hits the back of his other knee, sending him crashing to the ground. He leaps on him and squashes his head like a pumpkin.

I duck out of a slash that destroys the wall behind me. Pain seizes my side as an enormous fist smashes against my head, slamming me into the rubble of the wall behind me. I barely get my sword up as his blade comes crashing down. I deflect the blow to the side and roll into his sword, causing him to drop it. Forcing myself up, I push through the blinding pain as my blade guts the giant, sending his intestines falling out. As he tries to keep them in, my ax finds his heart.

Several men try to form a shield wall, but the giant’s ax breaks the shield wall apart with a swipe as if it were nothing. The shields don’t stand a chance against their mighty blows. The men get chopped apart. I let out a roar and charge the giant. Before he can face me, I chop off his leg. Like a tree, he crashes against the ground in a loud crack. My ears are ringing, but it doesn’t stop me from sinking my sword in its back straight through his heart. At least, that’s where I think his heart is.

I rally the survivors of the shield wall to me. “Swarm around them like wasps and attack their legs. Bring them down to our size and go for the throat or heart.”

They all nod. My father and his friends make it back and it takes all four of them to fight a single giant. But they manage to bring it to its knees and kill it just as I described.

I charge at one about to catch them by surprise and cut its hamstrings, dropping it to all fours before I leap on its back, sending it crashing to the ground from my weight. My blade sinks into its spine, severing it. Father meets my eyes with a nod of thanks.

The men of the shield wall swarm another, hacking at the giant’s legs and taking the giant down. Still, more cause destruction in our town. I meet the charge of another, dropping to my knees, barely missing the side-swing of its giant, boulder-sized hammer. My ax chops at the giant’s ankle and it comes crashing down to where I knelt as I roll to my side onto my feet and sink my ax into the back of his neck.

Vog, Solmund, Griotgard, and Skardi swarm another, slashing at its legs while dodging its blows. They bring it down and slice off its head. Koll rallies his sons and daughters to him and they attack another like bees swarming a bear after its honey. My cousins obey my uncle’s commands to distract and attack. My uncle draws his attention while his sons and daughters slash at the giant’s legs, bringing him down while my uncle slashes his throat.

My aunt Ingithora brings out a torch and starts spitting fire at the giants, burning them alive.

Several of the other captains rally their crews into the fight. Rodmar Asulfdottir leads a charge of men as they overcome a giant, sending bolts attached to chains into their arms and legs. It takes at least five men to secure an arm as they pull the giant down and hack at it, chopping off its arms and legs before severing its head off.

Brynhild fends off one, ducking and dodging its wild strikes before her son, Thorvir, leaps off the top of a roof, and drags his blades down the giant’s back. He is full of rage as he howls in fury before he lunges at another, slashing the insides of its thighs, bringing him down. The boy knows how to fight, but I’m even more impressed with his strength. He seems to get stronger as the rage in him burns hotter. I’m completely shocked as he catches a hammer blow with his hands and yanks it out of the grip of a giant. How is he so strong? He can even wield the hammer and breaks the legs of the giant with it before smashing its head into the ground. This boy isn’t mortal.

Lightning rips through the air and strikes a giant charging at me. I look back to see Thon nodding at me before sending a hail of fire at three of the giants, burning them alive.

Within the blink of an eye, he’s gone and his blade sinks into a giant’s chest. His skin shrivels up as life drains from his eyes, leaving them white and soulless. The skeletal body, wrapped in black shriveled skin, falls with a clunk from Thon’s blade. What is he?

I barely have time to duck as a sword as wide as my shoulders cleaves through the air where my head was. It chops down at me, crashing into the ground where I stood as I swipe my sword up and chop its hand off, spraying the thick, dark blood all over. It screams loud enough to shatter the clay pots behind me. I send it falling when my ax hacks its knee in two. I wobble and sway as my ears bleed.

Shaking my head, I don’t give it much time to cry out as my blade meets its neck. A loud horn blows out and the giants retreat back to their ships, taking slaves. I chase after one and chop at its feet, sending it crashing to the ground with a woman and a boy in its arms. Its head feels the slice of my sword before I pry the woman and child from its arms. They’re hurt, but okay. I go after another one, carrying away a little girl in its hand. I dart after it and slice the hand off, catching the girl. It howls in agony, swinging wildly without looking. I slice into its thigh and bring my blade up his torso, slicing him nearly in half as his organs all fall out.

The rest manage to get to their ships and sail off with some of our people as thralls. I look back at our town and see the devastation they’ve left in their wake. Most of the buildings have holes in them. At least the ones that are left standing. Quite a few are demolished. Men lay dying next to the corpses of both giants and Krakens. Our harbor is in ruin. At least the seaside harbor. The bay side is still intact, but most of the ships on the seaside are wrecked beyond repair. Thankfully, most of our raiding ships are in the bay.

I can barely move without mind-numbing pain shooting from all over my body, especially my cracked ribs and my ears. My father, Koll, Einar, and Throst are still alive as they help others. Same with my cousins and my friends. I take the little girl and make my way to them.

There are just as many giant corpses littering the ground as there are our own people. However, most of them are smoldering corpses or shriveled-up skeletons with pale, decayed skin clinging to bone. I can’t imagine what kind of magic this Thon uses to do that, but it’s clear most of the dead giants were killed by his hand. What would’ve happened if he weren’t here? We’d be sheep in the hands of wolves. And here I thought I was strong, but the giants proved just how weak I really am.

The survivors all wander around, lost and confused. Their faces are covered in debris and their clothes are tattered.

I spot Solmund, Griotgard, and Skardi stumbling through the mess of rubble. Even Gorm survived, but as a coward, as he and his men trail back in from the woods. Most of the captains made it out okay, too.

But Herlu Hallbjornsson lies in two pieces. I found Gellir Oswaldsson’s head, but not his body. The girl I saved clings to me, sobbing as we walk up to my father. I can barely hold on to her, as the pain is all-consuming. He gives orders out to those who aren’t wounded. “Gather up the wounded and bring them to my hall.”

He points at another. “You get some men together to collect the dead. We’ll need groups of men to move the giant corpses so we can burn them. Send a messenger to the Builders for aid in restoring our buildings. You there, go out to the woods and fetch my family. We’ll need my wife and Sigvor to help heal the wounded. Send them to my hall along with Ingithora. Send another messenger to the Valkyrie to see if they have any healers they can spare.”

My father meets my eyes as I set the child down and take off my helmet. “You did well, my son. I’m proud of you. If it weren’t for you and that Thon, our town would’ve fallen completely.”

“The spell sword was far more effective than me. Most of the dead giants were from his magic and his blade,” I say, as I hold my side.

“That might be so, but I don’t know anyone else who could take these giants on alone besides you and the wizard warrior,” father says, looking around.

“That Stormborn, Thorvir, could match their strength. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. He caught the blow of a hammer and ripped it right out of the Giant’s grasp before bashing it with its own hammer. Aldam was also able to go toe to toe with them. I saw him kill many giants with his hammer. But that spell blade… It’s a good thing we didn’t make him an enemy,” I say with a heave.

“Speaking of the spell blade, where is he?” My father looks around.

“I see him,” I say as I spot him by the sea, looking out at the fleeing giants.

“Where’s my child? My baby? My girl. They took her!” a woman covered in dust and dirt yells frantically. I recognize her as Sigrid, wife to Thialfi, who served on my brother’s ship. I look down at the girl. Her face is too dirty to recognize.

“Sigrid, is this her?” I ask.

She rushes over to me, and her eyes widen as she rushes to pick up the child. “Maria, thank the gods you’re alright. I… I thought they… Nevermind.”

She turns to me with eyes full of tears. “Thank you, Bothvar Beorcolsson. Thank the gods for you. You saved my daughter.”

I don’t know what to say, so I just nod. Then I leave her and follow my father, limping over to Thon as he still stands at the edge of the shore, looking out at them.

“That was just a raiding party,” he says as we walk up to him.

“That’s what I thought. They used our own tactics against us. We were as good as defenseless against them. If it weren’t for you, my son, and our brave warriors, our entire town would’ve been lost and they would’ve been able to take whatever they wanted. You’re welcome to your pick of my gold. Nothing I have will be enough to repay you. Our village will forever be in your debt,” my father says.

He only looks at my father and nods. “That’s what I do.”

“Where will you go? You’re welcome to stay here. We could use a man like you. You could make good money raiding with us,” my father says.

“That’s not my way. I mostly kill monsters and hunt down criminals. I don’t care to fight in wars or raids. I don’t pick sides. Those who need killing are the ones I go after. The Jotnar surely needed killing. They’ll be back, though. You’ll need to set up better defenses. I suggest building up a wall big enough to rain fire down upon them. You can boil oil and let loose flaming arrows. But you’ll need to reinforce the wall with a metal strong enough to hold against their assaults. That’ll make them think twice. Maybe adding some ballistae and trebuchets wouldn’t hurt either. Also, it would help if you had casters. The Jotnar, like most, are weak to magic. Especially fire. But they also have casters of their own. We were lucky we didn’t meet any of them. Worst of all, they like to use necromancers who can raise the dead. Forbidden magic by most standards, but to Jotnar, they don’t think the same way. Fire works well against the undead, same with Divine and Arcane magic. However, Celestial Magic doesn’t.”

My father nods. “Sound advice.”

The two meet each other’s eyes. “Are you sure you won’t change your mind and raid with us? We need magic users to take on the elves. You’d make plenty of gold.”

Thon shakes his head. “That is not my way.”

“Fair enough,” my father says, shrugging. “It was just a suggestion. If you change your mind, we will always have room for warriors like yourself.”

“I’ll see to your wounded,” the spell sword says. Then he eyes me. “You look like you could use some healing. Here, let me…”

I shake my head. “See to those who need it more. I’ll survive.”

My father nods. “Your aid in healing will be much appreciated.”

Thon nods and walks past him before he stops at me. He puts a hand on my shoulder. “You were effective at killing them. The others seem to rally your lead. Thanks to you, they learned how to fight them. I’ll remember you, Bothvar. I see you’ve been eating the Luminescent Emerald Mushrooms. You’ll want to gather as many of those as you can for the wounded. Along with the Nedraetium water that gave you your strength. That’ll help your people recover and grow stronger.”

I nod and the man walks away towards the keep up the hill, which, surprisingly, was hardly touched. My father steps up. “The water and mushrooms he talked about. Are these the same you gave us at the end of the long night?”

I nod. “The mountains are rich with them.”

“Who all knows about them?” he asks.

I look up at the mountains, forever shrouded in clouds. “As far as I know, only Solmund, Griotgard, Skardi, and I. Thorkel, Asfrid, Arngunn, and we spent many summer days exploring the caves up in the mountains when you went raiding. Although I think the dwarf, Aldam, knows of the metal and the mushrooms. He has a hammer made out of it and wields it quite well. He originally told us about it long ago.”

“You foolish children. Do you know what lives up in those mountains?” he says.

I meet my father’s eyes. “All too well.”

“Is this where you found your armor and weapons? It’s like Aldam’s hammer. A hammer too heavy for anyone else to lift,” father says.

“I made them from the glow rocks up in the mountains during my self-exile. It’s what Thon and Aldam called Nedradum or whatever. The metal is definitely heavy, but it is stronger than any other. It can slice through iron as if it were water. But I couldn’t lift it until I tempered my body through lots of hard work. It took me all winter to be able to wield it as well as I can now.”

“And you gained the strength to wield this metal by drinking the water and eating those mushrooms? Is that what made your skin the shade of iron?”

“I don’t know if it is the mushrooms or the water. I think someone told me it was the mushrooms. The water helped make me strong, but my true strength came from hard work. I forged my body to be as hard as the metal I made this armor and these weapons with. I believe the water only gives you the potential to be stronger. Without the hard work to gain the strength, you won’t become stronger.”

“Why didn’t you share this with me?” father asks, his eyes growing hard.

“It was difficult, and it was painful. Besides, after I lost my wife and child, I made a vow to give up the pursuit of revenge in order to look after Thora. That is all that matters to me now,” I say.

 My father sighs. “I understand your pain, my son, but we all need to grow strong now that we have met a foe unlike any other. You see the destruction it brought to our town? It made our walls look like a fence of twigs. They broke our buildings as if they were made of straw. Who knows when they will be back, but I know they will return eventually. We need to be ready for them.”

I nod, seeing the wisdom in his words as I look out at the ruins of our village. But then I spot Gorm and his captain Thrain Haklangsson, who spent the entire fight in the woods. Cowards. I know all too well the dangers of giving strength to all. Imagine if Gorm gained this strength or worse, the Bone Eaters. “We need to be careful, father. This strength could be used to harm those we seek to protect. We cannot let men like Gorm gain this strength.”

“You are right, my son. You’ve grown much from that boy I remember. The boy who used to cling to his brother’s side. You no longer hide in his shadow, but cast your own shadow to protect our people. I am proud of you,” he says, resting his hand on my shoulder. “Here is what we will do. Once you heal up, you will take those you trust to train in the caves until we can salvage whatever we can to raid. Take Griotgard, Solmund and Skardi along with Einar, Koll, and Throst. We’ll start with them, along with Thormar. We’ll hold off with Bodvar and Svala for now. Take them to the caves and show them how to get strong after we get things settled down here. I’ll join you all once I can. Then once they make enough progress, we’ll bring their children and the crew members we can trust. I’ll convince your mother to allow Svala and Bodvar to come.”

I nod. “I’ll do as you ask, father. However, I would like to have Thora train as well. She may be young, but are you ever too young to gain the strength to defend yourself?”

“I will allow it. I will just have to convince your mother of it. For now, let’s stick with those I mentioned. She’ll come to train with Svala and Bodvar.” I nod, accepting it. For now, I limp and help move as many of the wounded as I can to the hall, pushing through the searing pain that overwhelms me. It’s hard to breathe, but I can’t rest. Not until our people are safe and healed.

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Bothvar Beorcolsson

We follow my father out of town to the lower peninsula to the south with spears, bows, and axes. A path I’m all too familiar with. We turn east towards the main road that connects Chillshore to Barefrost, two Southern-controlled cities. This is a dangerous land.

We stalk through the thick woods of budding spring alder, birch, and aspen trees, along with the rare yew trees and the numerous different kinds of pine. I can smell the spring blossoms. Along with hints of fresh dung, musky wet fur odor, and the overwhelming pine scent. The hoof beats make me believe we’re not far from a boar. “I sense a boar near to here.”

The others look at me, some with narrowed eyes and others wide-eyed. My father steps up to me and whispers. “How can you tell?”

“I can smell its fresh turds and hear its hoof beats,” I tell him. It must have been from all the mushrooms I’ve eaten and continue to eat.

My father doesn’t question me and signals for me to lead the way. I follow the scent and sound of its hooves and snorts, along with the bristling of brushes and the crunching of branches, confirming my suspicions. It’s close. I lead the others to the smell and noises. Sure enough, the beast is grazing.

It wasn’t that long ago I recall trying to stop my brother and our friends from killing a hare. How much I’ve changed. Of course, I did that for Arni, not for the hare.

My father signals for the others to spread and circle the beast. They plan on luring it into a trap with our bows as the others spear it. As we all get into position, my father hops out and startles the beast, firing off an arrow at it. He sticks it in the shoulder before it takes off running, but its path is blocked by Koll and Einar who prod at it with their spears. It circles back and signals a charge as it stares down at my father. I spring from my stance as it digs its hooves in and goes to charge. Before it can move beyond a few paces, my spear finds its neck, pinning it down to the ground as it squeals one last time.

The rest of them hesitantly move from their positions. My father, Koll, Throst, and Einar trade looks of shock. My father steps up. “By the god’s son, I hardly saw you move and then you had your spear in its throat. Where in Ornulf’s name did you gain so much speed?”

“I trained hard during my exile. I wanted to become strong and fast enough to kill the elf who took Thorkel’s life. I’m still not sure if I am enough of either.” The sound of a single horse trotting down the nearby road grabs my attention. “There’s a traveler on the road. Just one on horseback.”

My father and the others once again trade looks. “Let’s check it out. Thormar, Bodvar, and Svala secure the boar and tie its legs to a long enough branch. We’ll be back.”

“But father, I’m not a boy anymore. Why should I stay back?” Thormar asks with anger and contempt on his face.

“Because, if we die, I need someone capable to take charge and that is you,” father says, shutting Thormar up.

 My father signals me to lead the way, and I sneak through the woods to a spot to capture the traveler. He’s still a good deal away, but I can make him out in the far distance. Not close enough to make out any features, but I can tell it’s a man.

“Are you sure, son? I don’t see anyone,” father.

“Yes, it’s a man. He’s not far. You’ll see him soon enough,” I say.

They all wait wearily, giving each other questioning glances. Then Koll speaks up. “I see something. A figure, definitely on a horse.”

“Yeah, I see it too,” Throst says.

“I see it now,” father says, turning back at me, scratching his chin as he considers me. Then he turns to the others. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”

—

The man finally arrives. A man with onyx-black hair and strange, gray eyes. He’s armed with a sword on his back. He stops and looks around in our direction. “I know you lot are out there.”

Father steps out in front of him as Koll and Einar step out behind. Throst and I step out on both sides of him. He’s a well-built man. A warrior, but there’s something else about him. He reeks of death and something else. Something I can’t put my finger on.

“Where ya heading, stranger?” father asks, sword in hand.

“Anywhere that has work for me,” the man says, showing no appearance of fear or nervousness.

“And what kind of work does a man like you do?” Father asks.

“Well, I used to be a Revenant, but no longer. Now I’m just a spell sword for hire. If you have any monsters to kill, I’ll take care of ’em,” he says as his eyes fall upon me. They narrow as he takes me in and they stay a bit longer than they did for the rest.

“Spell sword, huh?” my father asks as he sheaths his sword. The others keep their weapons drawn. “Does that mean you can do magic, huh?”

The man nods, lifting his hand and producing a flame. The others startle, stepping back. Father nods. “Maybe you can help us. You’re welcome to come back with us to our village, share our food, and have a bed to stay in.”

Thon nods. “That would be much appreciated.”

“You’ll have to lead your horse. There are no roads to our village,” father says.

“You’re Kraken, aren’t you? I’ve heard of your people. A friend of mine grew up in the north,” he says. His face portrays no emotion, just a stone. He looks as if he was carved from one and meets our height. Few Southerners do.

Father nods. “My name is Beorcol Thorgrimsson. I’m Earl of the Krakens. That’s my… eldest son, Bothvar. He’s Einar Alriksson, and that’s his brother Koll. And that’s Throst Thorhallson.”

“The name’s Thon. Just Thon,” the stranger says. Odd name.

We lead him back to where my siblings are as they finish tying up the dead boar to a branch they found. Thormar and Bodvar struggle to carry it as we head back through the woods to home. However, as we cross the river, I hear the bells from our village. The warning bells. It’s faint. “The warning bell is going off. We’re under attack.”

My father looks at me, wide-eyed. “Are you sure?”

I nod. He looks at the other men.

“Did the elves finally find us?” Einar asks.

I take off running back as the rest follow well behind, not able to keep up. All but this stranger, Thon.

Thon and I are the first to make it back as the people all scramble in fear, boarding their homes. I found my mother with Thora. “What is going on?”

“A fleet of ships are on their way,” mother says, with her hands shaking as one clings to Thora’s hand with Sigvor behind her. She grabs my arm with the other. “Where are your siblings and Beorcol?”

“We ran ahead. They fell behind.”

“I have to go to them,” she says, her voice shaky.

“You, Sigvor, Thora, and my siblings stay in the forest. It’s safer there,” I say.

She nods and goes to leave, but Thora grabs my hand. “Uncle Bothvi. I’m scared.”

I lean down to look into her eyes, which are watering. “It’s okay to be afraid, but don’t let it control you. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. But I’m going to need you to be brave for me. You’re going to have to go with your grandmother and help her find your uncles and aunty Svala. Okay? They need your help. Can you do that for me?”

She nods as a fire rekindles in her eyes. She lets go, and my mother swoops her up in her arms and takes off. They both give me one more glance before they disappear outside. Thon follows me to the harbor. The fleet she spoke of is on the horizon, sailing in fast towards us. I can make them out even though they’re still a good way out, a few leagues or more. But their ships are odd. Not elven. Not that different from our own but much bigger. There are only about four or five ships, but the size of them would throw some people off. They’re traveling swiftly, but I’m sure I have enough time. Time to get what I need.

I turn to Thon. “Those aren’t any ships I recognize. They look far bigger than any ship I’ve seen.”

He nods in agreement. “They’re Jotnar ships. I’m sure of it.’

My eyes go wide, and for the first time since The Longest Night, I fear a tinge of fear. I thought the giants of Jotunheim were a myth. Giants from the land of ice. “If that’s true, there’s something I need to get so I can better kill these giants. I’ll be back.” I take off through the side gate and up to the mountains.

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