We follow my father out of town to the lower peninsula to the south with spears, bows, and axes. A path I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re not far from a boar. \u201cI sense a boar near to here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The others look at me, some with narrowed eyes and others wide-eyed. My father steps up to me and whispers. \u201cHow can you tell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can smell its fresh turds and hear its hoof beats,\u201d I tell him. It must have been from all the mushrooms I\u2019ve eaten and continue to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s close. I lead the others to the smell and noises. Sure enough, the beast is grazing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t that long ago I recall trying to stop my brother and our friends from killing a hare. How much I\u2019ve changed. Of course, I did that for Arni, not for the hare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rest of them hesitantly move from their positions. My father, Koll, Throst, and Einar trade looks of shock. My father steps up. \u201cBy the god’s son, I hardly saw you move and then you had your spear in its throat. Where in Ornulf\u2019s name did you gain so much speed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI trained hard during my exile. I wanted to become strong and fast enough to kill the elf who took Thorkel\u2019s life. I\u2019m still not sure if I am enough of either.\u201d The sound of a single horse trotting down the nearby road grabs my attention. \u201cThere\u2019s a traveler on the road. Just one on horseback.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father and the others once again trade looks. \u201cLet\u2019s check it out. Thormar, Bodvar, and Svala secure the boar and tie its legs to a long enough branch. We\u2019ll be back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut father, I\u2019m not a boy anymore. Why should I stay back?\u201d Thormar asks with anger and contempt on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause, if we die, I need someone capable to take charge and that is you,\u201d father says, shutting Thormar up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father signals me to lead the way, and I sneak through the woods to a spot to capture the traveler. He\u2019s 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\u2019s a man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you sure, son? I don\u2019t see anyone,\u201d father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s a man. He\u2019s not far. You\u2019ll see him soon enough,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all wait wearily, giving each other questioning glances. Then Koll speaks up. \u201cI see something. A figure, definitely on a horse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, I see it too,\u201d Throst says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI see it now,\u201d father says, turning back at me, scratching his chin as he considers me. Then he turns to the others. \u201cHere\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
—<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man finally arrives. A man with onyx-black hair and strange, gray eyes. He\u2019s armed with a sword on his back. He stops and looks around in our direction. \u201cI know you lot are out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s a well-built man. A warrior, but there\u2019s something else about him. He reeks of death and something else. Something I can\u2019t put my finger on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere ya heading, stranger?\u201d father asks, sword in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnywhere that has work for me,\u201d the man says, showing no appearance of fear or nervousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd what kind of work does a man like you do?\u201d Father asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I used to be a Revenant, but no longer. Now I\u2019m just a spell sword for hire. If you have any monsters to kill, I\u2019ll take care of ’em,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSpell sword, huh?\u201d my father asks as he sheaths his sword. The others keep their weapons drawn. \u201cDoes that mean you can do magic, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man nods, lifting his hand and producing a flame. The others startle, stepping back. Father nods. \u201cMaybe you can help us. You\u2019re welcome to come back with us to our village, share our food, and have a bed to stay in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thon nods. \u201cThat would be much appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll have to lead your horse. There are no roads to our village,\u201d father says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re Kraken, aren\u2019t you? I\u2019ve heard of your people. A friend of mine grew up in the north,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Father nods. \u201cMy name is Beorcol Thorgrimsson. I\u2019m Earl of the Krakens. That\u2019s my\u2026 eldest son, Bothvar. He\u2019s Einar Alriksson, and that\u2019s his brother Koll. And that\u2019s Throst Thorhallson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe name\u2019s Thon. Just Thon,\u201d the stranger says. Odd name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019s faint. \u201cThe warning bell is going off. We\u2019re under attack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father looks at me, wide-eyed. \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I nod. He looks at the other men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid the elves finally find us?\u201d Einar asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I take off running back as the rest follow well behind, not able to keep up. All but this stranger, Thon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. \u201cWhat is going on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA fleet of ships are on their way,\u201d mother says, with her hands shaking as one clings to Thora\u2019s hand with Sigvor behind her. She grabs my arm with the other. \u201cWhere are your siblings and Beorcol?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe ran ahead. They fell behind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have to go to them,\u201d she says, her voice shaky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou, Sigvor, Thora, and my siblings stay in the forest. It\u2019s safer there,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She nods and goes to leave, but Thora grabs my hand. \u201cUncle Bothvi. I\u2019m scared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I lean down to look into her eyes, which are watering. \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be afraid, but don\u2019t let it control you. I won\u2019t let anything happen to you. I promise. But I\u2019m going to need you to be brave for me. You\u2019re 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?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019re 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\u2019re traveling swiftly, but I\u2019m sure I have enough time. Time to get what I need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I turn to Thon. \u201cThose aren\u2019t any ships I recognize. They look far bigger than any ship I\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He nods in agreement. \u201cThey\u2019re Jotnar ships. I\u2019m sure of it.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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. \u201cIf that\u2019s true, there\u2019s something I need to get so I can better kill these giants. I\u2019ll be back.\u201d I take off through the side gate and up to the mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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