It is known that there are worlds beyond ours. It is also known that there are also beings from these worlds. While the humans of Midgard pay tribute to these beings, most notably the gods of Asgard, there are some things that they do not know about the gods. I like to believe that I am one of those things.
I hate the water. Silly, I know, for a Viking such as myself, but never have I felt safe riding along in these wooden boats over such a vast body. My crewmates talk constantly of the 'edge of the world' and so far that does little to help my constant distaste. Yet, I believe that it is far past my time for complaining. Three days we have been at sail and two more we must be until we reach our goal. Damn my loyalty to Jorund.
A hand casually slaps my shoulder followed by a hearty laugh, "Ari my friend," Jorund says. "You seem down. Why is that brother? We are mere days from battle!"
I turn away from the water to look at Jorund, a young man of strapping elegance but with the eyes of warrior. While growing up alongside him, I've seen that light in his eyes grow brighter every year, and it's clear that it has never been as bright as it has been during this adventure.
I smile and say, "You know I've never been one of the water, Jorund."
"Then you never should have become a Viking, brother!" Jorund laughs, slapping my shoulder again. "Relax, though. We only have two more days until land and then, Odin willing, a victory!"
He smiles as he did when we were children playing a game of tag and walks down the ship, watching the oarsmen at work.
"If he were anymore spirited I would be scared he would burst into flames."
To my left Vog walks over, a simple smile on his face as he watches Jorund. Out of all of the people I would chosen for this expedition, Vog wouldn't have been one of them. True, we grew up together and I consider him just as much a brother as I do Jorund, but he's never rubbed me the right way; the way his dark eyes always seem to be moving from place to place.
I smile halfheartedly. "Yes, burst into flames indeed."
Without another word Vog walks away, leaving me alone yet again. Almost absentmindedly, I look down at my hand, the words 'burst into flame' playing back and forth though my head.
Two days later
The ship makes land with a satisfying CRUNCH and I almost immediately breathe a sigh of relief. Land at last.
Almost immediately Jorund jumps from the side of the boat and into the water, followed by Vog and myself as we survey the land.
"Our orders say to go inland to the North. After a halfdays journey we should find our foes' camp." Vog reports, his eyes narrowing as he gazes over the landscape.
"Then we march then," Jorund says with a smile, only this time a faint snarl can be seen within it.
A half day later
Jorund's plan didn't go very well.
The camp was far bigger than predicted, our forces outmatched by at least 4 to 1. As good a force as we were, we couldn't take them all. And now we know that they like to play games.
I'm strung up along with Jorund and Vog, hanging from a branch of a tree inside the camp. Their fire, a few feet away from us, burns brightly while their leader, a great bear of a man, sits watching us.
"So," He says with a smile caked with some kind of meat. "That was the army of the great Jorund. I am not impressed."
Beside me, Jorund squirms in anger. "Just wait until I am freed from these bonds!"
A club smacks Jorund over his head and he slumps. Another one hits Vog.
"That petty boy means nothing to me," the leader says, this time to me. "You, however, do."
"What do you want of me?" I ask, feeling my hands beginning to warm.
"Like you," he says, walking towards me, "I am not of this world."
He continues walking until he comes to the base of the tree, where he brings his hands around the trunk and with ease, rips it from the ground.
Me, along with my companions, swing around as the leader laughs playfully.
"Show me what you can do, my friend, or I toss you and your companions into the sea!"
Silently, I curse and ignite.
My hands, burning brighter than the campfire, burn through the bonds and send us falling to the ground.
The leader tosses the tree to the ground, laughing. "A Halfling! Oh, what fun this is going to be!"
I keep my hands alight as the leader runs toward me, the ground shaking as he stomps forward. To be honest, I've never used my powers in battle, now would be a good time to learn.
Once he reaches me, I jump, landing my legs onto his chest and I begin hammering my fists into his face, burning him as I do it. He screams in pain and throws me off, sending me into one of the tents.
"You'll have to do better than that, Halfling!" The leader yells, advancing after me.
I look around me for some kind of weapon, scrambling around the remains of the tent for something.
The leader is halfway to me, taking his time.
"It has been a while since I have killed one of your kind, Halfling. I will enjoy it immensely."
My hand grabs a hold of some kind of shaft underneath the canvas. I burn through it as quickly as I can, revealing a spear underneath. I can tell that the leader hasn't seen it yet.
"A shame, really. People like us need to stick togeth-"
With as much speed as I can use, I ignite the spear and throw it at the leader, surprising him and impaling him in the chest.
"I have my own friends, thank you." I say, smiling.
Around me, the other members of the camp stare at their fallen leader and then at me, my hands still aflame. Like children, they run away.
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