Einar was crouched next to Thorodd as they waited for the signal.

It looks like there are just about a hundred left… still those two casters are near that crystal.

“Sorry all this falls to you,” the second in command whispered.

“Joys of being in charge and the only spell caster besides our two Elven mages who can’t get closer.”

“And being split up makes this harder.”

Nodding, Einar scanned the woods behind him, seeing the single Elven mage they had with their group. Varitan and the other mage along with a pair of elves were stationed with the other half of his Vikings on the other side of the clearing.

“I just wish I had all my good gear,” Einar muttered. “Not being able to retrieve them has made this harder.”

Thorodd nodded in agreement.

“No one has their original gear anymore except Bodalf. Somehow that short bastard has evaded death twice.”

Both men smirked about that truth, a fact all the other Vikings had commented on how slippery it appeared he was. Even while holding off a group of four undead at one point on the second day, the second smallest viking in the pack had held his ground, escaping with only a few cuts and injuries when the horn had sounded to retreat.

“Just know I’ve got your front. Stay close and Skardi and I will cut a path to the mages.”

Squinting, Einar could see the clearing they were going to have to cross. At least a quarter of a mile was needed before he could reach the shard they could occasionally see that radiated with some smoke, a portal into what looked like a wasteland not far behind it.

Near it were the two casters they had witnessed the last two days, both barely anything but a bag of bones wearing robes, yet the magic they cast removed any questions about how dangerous they were.

Only Thor’s Blessing is off cooldown… everything else is unusable… I’ll only get one shot at this today.

Lost in thought about yesterday's battle and how it had gone, the sound of a horn blaring from the south snapped him back to the moment.

A few chuckles came as the undead shifted to the south, a group of their workers dressed in nothing but standard clothes but carrying wooden shields and axes were emerging from the treeline.

“It’s working,” Skardi said. “It’s actually working… damn that Osvif and his plan!”

Everyone started to rise, the time to attack was about to come and there was a sense of energy in the air.

Yesterday had been a hard fought day, but they had destroyed more undead the second day than the first.

A ball of green flames shot toward the southern area and the moment came.

The horn blasted again and everyone rushed out of the woods, choosing to not shout, using the little bit of stealth and surprise they had.

The fireball the Elven mage with them had been summoning flew over head as did the one on the east side of the clearing, both of them crashing into the groups that were not joining the others charging south.

Wails came as the fire burned them and Einar let it go, feeling the rage he had been holding in growing.

It ends today!

Undead bodies were hacked in half, even with the old weapons they were using, it didn’t matter, the strength each Viking swung with was enough to cut through the leather armor.

“For Odin!”

The cry came from Osvif’s side and Einar smiled.

“For Freyr!” Thorodd shouted.

The undead seemed confused for a moment as they turned east and then back to west and the attention of the two casters were torn between all three groups.

“Go! We’ve got this!” Thorleif called out after his axe took the head off an undead soldier. “Get him close!”

Both Skardi and Thorodd broke from formation, pushing ahead, one on each side as Einar ran in the middle, drawing upon his wyrd and letting his rage build inside.

Yesterday had taught him how to call upon it in these moments.

How to harness it all the time wasn’t there yet.

“Thor! Answer my call today!”

His skin felt like a cold sensation washed over him, and not sure if the god had answered his call, Einar’s body felt charged.

Arc’s of lighting began to form as he ran.

Thorodd darted before him, shield up, taking the black spear of ice that came for him, knocked backward and off his feet as the spell connected, shattering the wooden shield and piercing the Viking’s body completely.

One moment the large man had been racing forward, now he was on his back, eyes looking to the sky where the sun above was creating a picture of red and orange clouds. A smile was upon his lips as the blood stained his beard.

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“FUCK YOU BASTARDS!”

Skardi’s yell accented his rage and Einar knew the man had entered a state only death or unconsciousness would undo.

Each swing of his axe tore through any undead that got in the giant's way as he led the charge toward the caster.

Hacking at those that came from the side, the white glow of his axe cut through an undead in chain armor as if it wasn’t there.

Time slowed as the pair moved through the pressing undead, seeing the group that had gone south returning in their direction.

An explosion erupted a few seconds later in the front of the group returning to aid the command of those in charge, sending flaming bits of rotting flesh and creating a howl of wails from the corpses that died once more.

The left arm of Skadi blew past him and blood gushed out from a socket that was missing, a lance of black ice almost catching Einar in the head in a single movement.

Shit!

Hiding behind the large Viking as they ran had made it where the undead’s spell had not been noticed and only the warrior before him had deflected and absorbed enough of the spell to keep it from killing both of them.

As his life blood poured out, Skardi roared, his right arm bringing destruction to those that got close, not caring if they rose again after this moment, simply content to carve a path that was required.

Einar watched as a fireball burst from the east side, hearing the sounds of fighting from over where his men shouted and called out to the gods.

His blood boiled, and the rage needed a place to escape.

Almost… fifty more yards…

The steps of the giant before him were beginning to slow, struggling to keep moving as the blood gushed out with each stride and swing that he took.

A trio of chain-wearing undead came at Skardi and he threw himself at them, stumbling as he slashed, somehow removing one head before tackling another.

The third drove a sword into the downed Viking’s side, easily piercing the leather armor that they all now only wore.

Without pause, Einar ran at it, his axe blades moving as one and bisected the undead, sending its body to the ground in multiple pieces.

His eyes were focused upon the undead and the green flames that filled the sockets that eyes should be, watching as its hand pointed at him.

Dodging to the left and slicing through an undead that was almost upon him, the black spear of ice grazed Einar’s shoulder, sending a wave of pain and agony that seemed far too great compared to the half inch gash that ran across it.

In that moment the spell that had struck fought against the power inside him and for a second, Einar wasn’t sure if his spell would hold, the greasy, evil taint trying to overcome his core.

Instead he focused on the body of his fallen ally, the one who had once tried to kill him, now having died for this moment and every part of his body tingled as power flowed through him.

Without pausing, he was on his feet and racing at the pair of undead that now both faced him, no longer paying attention to Osvif and those over there.

Each of them had green flames that were locked upon his approach.

Behind them, about twenty yards away was the real target.

A mist swirled around the gem and the portal was pulsing as metal armored undead started appearing through them, wearing plate instead of chain.

Two more walking corpses found their demise, struck down by his axe and sent back to wherever they had come from.

[ Thor’s Blessing ]

The sky above boomed and both of the undead caster’s took their eyes off of the approaching Viking that had lightning coming off his body with each step.

As they did, a bolt of pure energy descended from the red and orange clouds, striking the target Einar had focused on.

It struck and when it did the world froze for a moment.

His eyes worked yet his body didn’t seem to move as all the air in the world seemed to be suddenly gone.

Smoke, dust, wind, air, it all raced toward the crystal as it began to vibrate and hum, glowing with a bright white.

Yanked forward toward the crystal as if a rope had been tied to his waist, Einar found himself just about ten yards from the undead mages who were now pressed against the very thing that held open the portal which was wavering.

Everywhere, all of those things near him had been pulled like metal to a magnet to the crystal.

And then it reversed.

A thunderous boom which reverberated in the clearing rang out.

With it was a shockwave that threw everything backward.

His body ached as he tumbled over and over, both weapons now gone as parts of undead bodies flew past him and smacked into him.

Lying there on the ground, every part of him sore and in pain, Einar managed to shake his head and clear the cobwebs that had filled his mind.

It took a few seconds and a couple of times blinking to see that everywhere across the clearing all the undead were burning.

Not like a roaring fire but as if disintegrating as a thin piece of paper, and the small red embers traveling up it, lifting into the sky and vanishing in the trees.

Einar groaned, opening his jaw and trying to get hearing to return as the ringing in his ears blocked all sound.

Movement could be seen as he glanced around, Vikings rising from the ground, most much further away than he was and apparently suffering far less injury.

His right ankle cried out and glancing at it, it was obviously broken from the way it bent sideways.

Men were coming and the muffled sounds of their words told him at least he could hear somewhat.

“Einar!”

Thorlief reached him first, bending down before him.

He could see the gashes upon the man, the blood that ran down his chest where his armor had been split.

“Einar!”

The shout came again and shaking his head once more and working his jaw, he focused on the smile he rarely saw on the black bearded man.

“What!”

“The boon! The boon Einar!”

It was then he realized why the man was smiling so much.

Glancing at the notifications that he often ignored, not wanting to see every time he had gained experience, Einar focused on the words that were at the bottom of the list.

[ Rune Experience Gained ]

[ Rune Leveled Increased ]

[ Rune Leveled Increased ]

[ Rune Leveled Increased ]

[ Rune Leveled Increased ]

[ Your actions have earned the favor of All the Gods of Asgard. ]

[ A wager was won about your battle. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. Each Rune Slot has been restored by two points. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Strength. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Endurance. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Agility. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Perception. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Wisdom. ]

[ A boon has been gifted. You have gained one Mysticism. ]