“Warrior Einar, rumor has it you had an accident in your room last night. Tell me, did it occur because of something we had in your room?”

Some chuckles came from Thorodd, Thorve, and Lyeneru as Almon, the escort Salihn had sent, rode next to Einar.

“No, it was all my fault. I accidentally set some of the furniture on fire.”

The Elven man’s brown eyes scrunched as one eyebrow started to rise.

“Why would you set the room on fire? Was the furniture not to your liking?”

The chuckles turned into outright laughter, and Einar sighed, shaking his head.

“I was practicing with my magic and I did not realize how bad of an idea that was until I lost control.”

Nodding a few times, Almon turned his attention back to the road andpatted his horse's neck.

“It would seem this is the first time I have heard of someone practicing magic in their room. Perhaps this is why.”

Grunting, Einar made a hand gesture at the two Vikings, who were both now crying, faces red from the way Almon had just spoken.

“I would agree with you. From now on, I will make sure to practice somewhere safer.”

***

“It’s massive,” Skardi whispered as the pack stood outside the temple for Freyr.

Each of them tried to follow the section of the niben Yggdrasil that was set apart for the temple. It was taller than any of them had expected, easily rising at least thirty stories or higher. The trunk had to be over seventy feet wide or more, and every inch of the bark looked healthier than any tree in Midgard.

Stone and wood were blended together in patterns to make up the twenty-foot doorway that led inside, and Elven runes were carved in gold into it.

An image of Freyr was set upon the two doors, half of him on each side, his arms open wide and his eyes cast downward at those who approached.

“Try being my size,” Osvif replied as the men waited for the servants of the temple to invite them in.

Thorve gave Einar a nudge and motioned to the trio who stood at the doorway, talking with Lyeneru and Almon.

“Their garb. Look at how it shimmers in the light. Is that woven metal of some kind?”

Einar had noticed it but wasn’t sure, as it seemed to catch and reflect the light as the trio moved. It reminded him of glitter as different strands sparkled while others didn’t.

“Most likely.”

Another minute passed as they waited and finally the trio moved toward them.

“Vikings… who are now elves and bear the mark of Freyr. Welcome,” the one on the right said, their voice sounding almost ethereal.

All of them bowed slightly, making the motion Lyeneru had with their hands.

“We have been expecting you,” the left one now stated. “Word of your deeds and help to our land has reached our ears.”

The one in the middle moved forward a step and made the returning gesture, red painted skin coming from the long white sleeves of the robe before hiding once more beneath the fabric.

“Even Freyr himself has told of your coming. Come, cross into the temple and fear not. He is ready to look upon each of you and see those who have been added to his people.”

The two on the sides took a few steps back and motioned toward the door as the one in front turned, walking to the entrance, expecting them to obviously follow.

Quickly the Vikings formed up in a column of four while Einar and Thorve led the way.

Each step brought a pressure of a presence and as they neared the band of stone that ran across the threshold to the temple, the eyes on both wood doors seemed to stare down upon them intently.

As Einar took the first step inside, he didn’t hesitate, pushing past the thick barrier of whatever it was that seemed to warn anyone of what they were about to do.

The sensation of being watched amplified, and he knew as his foot touched the worked stone inside the temple that Freyr had both eyes on him.

Burning spices and incense entered his nostrils, none having been detectable until the moment he crossed into the temple.

Torches and bowls of fire sprang to life, illuminating the inside they couldn’t see before.

Small animals, a boar, and birds decorated the lush grass that lined a room much larger than seemed possible.

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It stretched for what seemed a hundred yards in a stone and wooden tunnel, filled with the sound of running water as carvings of Freyr and elves decorated the walls.

At the end of where they were headed was an open area, light spilling inside from the exit, seeming to be sunlight and a vast field filled with trees.

Glancing behind him, Einar saw the others coming behind and now knew they had just moved through some portal.

A hand gripped his, and he turned to see Thorve moving beside him, mouth slightly open and her eyes leaking as she turned her head slowly, trying to absorb everything before her.

Without waiting, Einar continued his same pace, keeping the pace the elf who led them here had set, focused on the area at the end of the tunnel.

As he drew near the exit, a vast field with a tree that seemed to reach into the clouds was off to the side, hidden by the tunnel and there was a being who radiated power.

“Elven children!” Thorve gasped quietly.

Einar nodded, seeing what had to be at least a hundred children running around the god, playing with his golden boar.

“He is massive,” Thorodd stated, having moved closer to Einar. “Look at his muscles!”

Nodding was all he could do. Even from this far, still easily a few hundred yards away, Freyr shone with a tan glow, long hair flowing over shoulders and arms that seemed impossible to imagine.

Each step across the field brought calm to their hearts and minds and once they were about seventy yards away, a few screams of excitement came and a few dozen Elven children came running toward the group.

“Welcome, brothers and sisters!”

“Come meet Father!”

Many more called out, and each Viking found at least one child tugging their hands, leading them toward the god who sat on a stone at the base of the giant tree, watching them with his eyes.

The golden boar moved to lounge near Freyr, its tusks looking like they could tear each of them in half with ease and yet not one child who was playing with it was injured in the least.

A circle formed as the Elven children spread out, each sitting down cross-legged and smiling.

The grass shimmered like a rainbow as the breeze blew across it, and a few plucked some pieces, tossing them into the wind as they waited for what was to come.

“Welcome to my domain,” Freyr said as he gave a slight nod of his head. “No Viking has ever stood where you are.”

Words seemed to fail him as Einar heard the words not just in his ears, but in his entire being. The god's voice seemed strong, young, and yet didn’t cause him to be afraid at all.

“We are honored,” was all he could get out as each of the Vikings bowed.

“Sit, please. I have things to say and you cannot stay here long,” Freyr said as he motioned to the grass.

Each of them moved without hesitation, all the Vikings able to mimic the position of the children due to Einar’s forced stretching routine.

“You know what is coming and I will not say its name here. These are innocent and soon shall return to Alfheim to rejoin their brothers and sisters. Know that you are tasked with things beyond what any single man or woman should be given and yet…”

Freyr paused, leaning forward as his toga like style outfit opened up, revealing the chiseled and hard body hidden by the outfit.

“You must not fail. My people are preparing and will help as they can, but too many have been lost. There are thousands of older elves, teenagers, as you might call them, trying to prepare for what is coming. Time is short and I cannot speed up their growth any more than I have.”

A frown came over the god’s lips and he sat up, reaching out and scratching his golden boar as he looked over the Vikings before him.

“Accomplish the tasks asked of you by my people, and you shall receive a reward. One worthy of such a feat. That is all I can give. Anything else would not be worth what it would allow our enemies to do.”

Freyr’s eyes focused on Einar, and the god shook his head before sighing.

“Some think otherwise, and those actions have cost us all greatly. Now stand. Let me touch you and send you on your way.”

Everyone, including the children, rose and Freyr stepped forward.

Sitting down the god had been taller than Skardi, now he towered over them all as he walked toward them.

The god of fertility, the harvest and the elves moved with a grace, going to the back rows first and placing his pointer finger on each of the men's foreheads.

Coming to where Thorve and Einar stood, he smiled and made sure there was room before taking a knee and bent down low, getting close to their healer's face.

“I can sense in your heart how much this moment means to you.”

She nodded, water starting to flood her blue eyes.

“For you, something special.”

He took her head in his hands and brought his lips to her bald head, kissing it. Each of her runes glowed as his lips touched, and she gasped.

“Watch over these warriors and help my people as you try so hard to do what you have been tasked with.”

The floodgates gave way and large tears ran down Thorve’s face, catching upon the furrows made by her massive smile as she nodded.

Standing up, Freyr moved to stand before Einar and snorted.

“You are managing to carry a weight most would be crushed under and I can see why you have been chosen for it. I cannot grant you what I desire, but as I said, complete the tasks and then a reward shall be yours.”

Einar gazed at the outstretched hand and took a moment to react, reaching out and letting his right hand be engulfed by the much larger one as they shook.

A bolt of a connection ran through that touch.

[ A boon has been granted by Freyr. ]

[ For 1 Month you shall run and fight without growing weary as long as you reside in Alfheim. ]

“Thank you,” Freyr said before laying his head back and laughing.

The god clapped his hands and each of the Elven children ran to the group and hugged them, taking turns as they wished them a good journey.

A minute later, the pandemonium of children laughing, shouting and saying goodbye ended when Freyr clapped his hands again.

“Now return! There is no more time I can give.”

One last clap turned everything dark, the tree, the breeze, the warmth of the sun and the sound of children, gone.

Blinking in the darkness, the scent of spices and incense came again and Einar saw before him one of the three who had led them into the temple. They were in a dark place inside the doors, barely fifteen yards deep. Nothing visible but the priest of Freyr.

“It is time to go,” the elf said, motioning toward the door which was only ten yards behind them all.

Murmurs and questions started to arise, but a cough from Thorodd cut them all off as they stood in the darkness on stone bricks.

Turning, they left, feeling the presence no longer there as they stepped over the border and went to where Lyeneru and Almon were waiting for them.