I can still hear the screams… smell the smoke and burning flesh… feel my feet sink into the blood soaked earth… I remember it all as if it was just yesterday… It was the day that would change me forever and set my life upon a new course. The day my old life ended and my new life would start to be born, it was the day I lost everything. The days before were joyous and peaceful as me and my brother Nes’hoc were out hunting game to bring back home to feed ourselves as our father was the village’s local drunkard and winter was fast approaching. We laughed and joked throughout the long trek home from our successful hunt. Our shoulders lay heavy with our great bounty of four stags.
“Ravo you remember the summer we went raiding against clan Torbin?” My brother asked as he threw his massive frame into me in an attempt to make me trip. He was average height for a goliath like ourselves. He weighed in at 350 pounds, at least that’s what he claims. I often made jokes that he weighed more than a dire bear.
“Aye brother, I remember saving your ass from that berserker that almost took your head off.” I replied with a smirk.
“That must’ve been Loki playing tricks on your eyes brother. I had it all under control, you just had to come along and steal the kill from me to make yourself feel bett-'' We both froze as we heard a blood curdling scream echo throughout the forest. “Ravo, you don’t think that’s from home do you brother?"
Before Nes’hoc finished his question I was barreling through the forest towards our village, crashing through anything that stood in my way as my sheer size and bulk crushed any obstacle in my path. Even for a goliath I was massive, standing at nearly 8 feet tall and weighing in at 310 pounds, I was a hulk of a man. As I grew closer to the village the volume of the screams grew ever louder and the scent of burnt flesh was carried on the wind, something was amiss and I pushed on faster.
“We’re running into a fight we’re not prepared for, Ravo. We could very well be running into Odin’s embrace with this battle.” Nes’hoc had finally caught up to me after dropping the stags, now he carried his great axe at the ready, prepared to face whatever lay on the other side of the smoke that blanketed the forest and blocked our sight of the village.
“Then I shall meet him with a smile on my face knowing I died in the heat of battle! If I'm lucky, maybe I'll even be lucky enough to be accepted into Valhalla and feast with mother!” Hearing the mention of my mother stirred something inside my brother as there was a fire in his eyes, he rushed ahead of me with renewed speed before disappearing in the cloud of smoke.
I could hear the chaos of battle now ringing out as I drew my handaxes and burst through the smoke, little did I know my life as I knew it would never be the same again… I was greeted by the scene of my village being razed to the ground and everyone I had known since I was a boy being slaughtered in the streets, *drengr’s and shieldmaidens fought valiantly only to be cut down by sheer numbers, the bodies of children littered the street. It was then I saw the colors of the battle and saw that our rival clans had banded together with even some of our own allies turned traitors slaughtering and destroying everything I held dear in life. Quickly though I snapped out of my trance as an arrow whizzed past my face, a shieldmaiden charged me however the attempt was futile.
I threw my axe at her with the ease one would flick a pebble, my aim was true and the axe bit deep into her skull and she dropped with a thud. I rushed forward and scooped up her shield from the statue-like grip brought about from her demise. I knew the day could not be won nor would I be able to save my village, but I knew I must find my father. I turned the corner of the street and made my way to the inn while battling through ranks of humans and goliaths alike. I would take as many to the grave as I could for if I was destined to die this day I would be sure to make it to Valhalla. Finally, I rounded the final corner and saw the inn up in a raging inferno and collapsing in on itself, I raced to get there and find my father… if he was even still alive.
Suddenly I was flung into a wall, my left side erupting with pain, a berserker had body checked me.With an ear splitting clang, I managed to deflect a downward arching swing from his axe off my shield. I took the opening to slice my axe into his thigh. Just as I took a step forward to strike him again, I was struck by an arrow in my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and shield bashed the berserker with all my might to set up a cleaving blow to his neck. I retrieved my axe from his still warm body just in time to block another arrow with my shield. I grinned, “My turn now boy.” Yet again I sent my axe flying and it just as soon found its mark. With my axe buried deeply in his chest, he collapsed with a scream.
I was running out of time. I threw my shield and raced to the inn, but it was too late my father was trapped under a large wooden beam and the rest of the inn was burning down around him. Exhausted I threw myself at the beam and wrestled with it trying with all the strength I could muster to free my father. It was no use, I couldn’t lift it alone.
“Where in Thor’s name is Nes’hoc!” I cursed as I continued to fight the losing battle of freeing my father.
“Leave me my son, let me join your mother in Odin’s great hall and feel her warmth again.” His words were like daggers in my heart…
“No father! I can lift it. I just ne-'' arrows landed in the beam with a thud, the final one piercing through my fathers skull.
“DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!” I yelled as I grabbed the closest weapon I could find, a cheap spear. I turned to face a group of attackers charging at me, I threw the spear at the first attacker sending his body jolting back as it went through his abdomen and pinned him to the ground. I knew fighting would be futile as more and more enemies poured into the village I turned and ran as I was forced to leave my village… forced to leave my whole life behind… if there was even a life left… but I would be back for blood...
