04-12-2020, 08:14 AM
"Huuuarrrrgggghhh" blade in, "huugh" blade out.
Ragnar the Bloody had gotten used to the sound his victims made, when he rammed his sword into them.
He had also gotten used to the frequal raping of their daughters and the steeling of their property. These raids on the British isles, had made the little village in the most north western part of Denmark both ritch and feared.
The other clans from down south dared not even cross the small strip of water that seperated them. They knew that the northeners were both relentless and brutal in their battles.
What Ragnar had not gotten used to was the blood. He hated the smell of it, he hated the look of it and he hated the way it stuck to his clothes. The older vikings told him to be proud of it - it was a sign of courrage and a sign of victory, and he was vcitorious. That's why they gave him his last name - but he still hated it. Blood was defeat, blood was a sign of inferiority - blood was the mark of the losing side and their lack of courage.
The voyage to England was the first one since last autumn.
It had been a tough trip and the North Sea had seperated the men from the boys. Litterally. Many of the first timers had been washed over by waves and drowned in the sea - sutch a shame that the path to Valhalla was to die in combat and not in a boating accident.
But some of them impressed him. Especially the youngest, who had managed to stay alive. His name was Evol and he was nothing more than 15 winters old. Hed had strapped himself to the bench and kept on rowing - he rowed til his hand started to bleed, and then he rowed some more.
Evol was well build - a young muscular kid, who kept on training even after the darkness had come and the little ones were put to bed.
He would become a great warrior, he just needed his combat training and now was the time.
They spotted land yesterday and now they felt the boat come to a hold, after reaching the sandy shore. Ragnar instantly felt a sneaking unease - everything was to quiet. Normally when they arrived, the first battle would take place right there on the beach. But here was nothing - nothing but silence.
The men gathered with their swords by their sides - Ragnar pulled Evol towards him "You stay close to me, you might learn something."
They knew that just behind the green hills were a village, so they decided to split up and attack the village from several sides.
Ragnar and Evol headed west, the two remaining groups would take a southern and a northern path.
"I can't wait to butcher some Brits", Evol said "How many have you killed, Ragnar?"
"More than a hundred", Ragnar bragged even though the truth was, that he had completely lost count.
As they made their way, Ragnar felt his unease getting stronger - something was completely wrong.
He heard a strange noise. It almost sounded like a blow of wind.
"Huuuuuuagh" - the sound came from Evol, and as Ragnar looked at him, he saw the arrow sticking out his chest.
"Ra... Ragnar.... What hap..." Evol fell to his knees, and before Ragnar could do anything, the kid had fallen face down pushing the arrow deeper and deeper into his young chest and out his back.
Ragnar got a hold of him and dragged him towards some bushes. With his knife he cut open Evols shirt revealing his bare chest. When he saw where the arrow had hit, he knew there was no hope - from now, there was only a long, agonizing death.
"Ragnar...", Evol mumbled "Will... I... be going to... Val... Valhalla now?"
Ragnar didn't know what to say, because he knew the answer. The kid had not been in combat yet, and his courage on the sea wasn't enough.."
"Please Ragnar... Just... Let me... go..."
Ragnar realised what Evol had just said - he had shown the ultimate courage. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the mission and for Valhalla.
Ragnar took his sword and put his hands on the young boys shoulders.
He carefully placed the sword right over Evols belly button and with one hard thrust he plunged it in.
Evols body was pushed upwards, and Ragnar heard him moaning.
"Pleeeease Ragnar... End it... Just... k...."
Ragnar retracted his sword, and placed right in the center of Evols chest - he slowly pushed it deeper and deeper, until he heard the young man draw his last breath. Evols mouth and eyes were wide open, and his body twitched a couple of times until it went numb. The blood ran slowly down the dead boys naked chest. As it reached the sternum it seperated to two thin stripes running to each side of his body.
Ragnar knew, that within long Evol would be joining Odin and Thor in the halls of Valhalla...
Ragnar the Bloody had gotten used to the sound his victims made, when he rammed his sword into them.
He had also gotten used to the frequal raping of their daughters and the steeling of their property. These raids on the British isles, had made the little village in the most north western part of Denmark both ritch and feared.
The other clans from down south dared not even cross the small strip of water that seperated them. They knew that the northeners were both relentless and brutal in their battles.
What Ragnar had not gotten used to was the blood. He hated the smell of it, he hated the look of it and he hated the way it stuck to his clothes. The older vikings told him to be proud of it - it was a sign of courrage and a sign of victory, and he was vcitorious. That's why they gave him his last name - but he still hated it. Blood was defeat, blood was a sign of inferiority - blood was the mark of the losing side and their lack of courage.
The voyage to England was the first one since last autumn.
It had been a tough trip and the North Sea had seperated the men from the boys. Litterally. Many of the first timers had been washed over by waves and drowned in the sea - sutch a shame that the path to Valhalla was to die in combat and not in a boating accident.
But some of them impressed him. Especially the youngest, who had managed to stay alive. His name was Evol and he was nothing more than 15 winters old. Hed had strapped himself to the bench and kept on rowing - he rowed til his hand started to bleed, and then he rowed some more.
Evol was well build - a young muscular kid, who kept on training even after the darkness had come and the little ones were put to bed.
He would become a great warrior, he just needed his combat training and now was the time.
They spotted land yesterday and now they felt the boat come to a hold, after reaching the sandy shore. Ragnar instantly felt a sneaking unease - everything was to quiet. Normally when they arrived, the first battle would take place right there on the beach. But here was nothing - nothing but silence.
The men gathered with their swords by their sides - Ragnar pulled Evol towards him "You stay close to me, you might learn something."
They knew that just behind the green hills were a village, so they decided to split up and attack the village from several sides.
Ragnar and Evol headed west, the two remaining groups would take a southern and a northern path.
"I can't wait to butcher some Brits", Evol said "How many have you killed, Ragnar?"
"More than a hundred", Ragnar bragged even though the truth was, that he had completely lost count.
As they made their way, Ragnar felt his unease getting stronger - something was completely wrong.
He heard a strange noise. It almost sounded like a blow of wind.
"Huuuuuuagh" - the sound came from Evol, and as Ragnar looked at him, he saw the arrow sticking out his chest.
"Ra... Ragnar.... What hap..." Evol fell to his knees, and before Ragnar could do anything, the kid had fallen face down pushing the arrow deeper and deeper into his young chest and out his back.
Ragnar got a hold of him and dragged him towards some bushes. With his knife he cut open Evols shirt revealing his bare chest. When he saw where the arrow had hit, he knew there was no hope - from now, there was only a long, agonizing death.
"Ragnar...", Evol mumbled "Will... I... be going to... Val... Valhalla now?"
Ragnar didn't know what to say, because he knew the answer. The kid had not been in combat yet, and his courage on the sea wasn't enough.."
"Please Ragnar... Just... Let me... go..."
Ragnar realised what Evol had just said - he had shown the ultimate courage. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the mission and for Valhalla.
Ragnar took his sword and put his hands on the young boys shoulders.
He carefully placed the sword right over Evols belly button and with one hard thrust he plunged it in.
Evols body was pushed upwards, and Ragnar heard him moaning.
"Pleeeease Ragnar... End it... Just... k...."
Ragnar retracted his sword, and placed right in the center of Evols chest - he slowly pushed it deeper and deeper, until he heard the young man draw his last breath. Evols mouth and eyes were wide open, and his body twitched a couple of times until it went numb. The blood ran slowly down the dead boys naked chest. As it reached the sternum it seperated to two thin stripes running to each side of his body.
Ragnar knew, that within long Evol would be joining Odin and Thor in the halls of Valhalla...