---
Olaf punched the tree again, his anger boiling out far too often these days. For Ingrid, it was a period of fear, not for herself, but for her father. As he was coming home far more injured than normal.
His wife had died in a raid while he was out hunting for the village. Little Ingrid was left alone only because she had been playing in the cellar. Between Olaf and her, they never needed the aids other mothers did, so there was no sign of a child in their home.
Such was the whims of Fate. So cruel they were on that day when she died, that he reached the Threshold. A moment needing control and focus was a whirlwind of death as he killed the whole raid single-handedly.
The Faruk Clan wouldn't be able to recover he was sure, but it didn't cool his anger. It continued to build until he found Ingrid when she cried.
His heart had broken over that moment. Filled with anger and grief he hadn't thought to look for the precious treasure that Mari had given to him. He had cried on that day unlike any other time.
He made the promise to never let his family be without him until his death. That was when they started to travel more, but each town and village never felt right to him.
Until he had come to Red Fall and met the old man, Ragna.
Another fist crashed into the tree, and Ingrid almost jumped from the sound. Olaf had paused for so long she almost thought he was done.
Ragna was the perfect sort to help undo what he had done to his little girl. With all of their travelling she was unlearned in anything but survival and fighting. Even if she was a genius at it, he wished for a better life for her.
The old man understood that and made a point about his own son needing someone to challenge him. That night had been filled with rare drink and a late morning. Olaf had felt like they had found a home to settle in.
---
The Beast's head was lowered into the dirt and it sent soil flying as it charged. Ingrid breathing out sharply to start the Megin within her cycling.
The surge of strength was accompanied with a demonic scream of rage. Here she would use all her fury to end it quickly. Beasts were all aggressive and only charged forward unless they were strong enough.
The red eyes seemed to flicker and it's speed dropped. Though Ingrid was too deep in her anger to pay attention to it. Same for the blood-red flames flickering in the air around her.
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Right before she leaned forward and sprinted. She pushed herself to the side of the slowing Beast, and brought her right arm down with her axe.
The Beast could do nothing as the impact was mostly cutting force, and it's neck opened into a bloody spray. Ingrid didn't pause and finished the rotation with her body before planting her foot and pushing off.
Her momentum caught her up to the rolling form of the boar, and she trust out her free hand. Meaning to grab onto it for another strong attack. She was surprised when the crimson ribbon of the Cap flowed into the wound she made.
It didn't stop her action and she finished her grab. Before realizing the Beast was far heavier than her and still rolling. The next few seconds were pain.
As her body was crushed between the boar and the ground. With the short respite of open air before it repeated. Only a moment that seemed to stretch out, ended by the slam of the boar's body against a tree.
Ingrid was mostly out from under the creature, and while she struggled to get out from under it. The Beast didn't move while she pulled herself free. Even when she let out a pained groan and limped to her feet it stayed motionless.
Taking a breath to settle her Megin and focus her mind. She determined that at least one broken rib and possibly a fracture on the left leg that was under the Beast when it hit.
Which is when she discovered that her axe was gone, and the Beast was definitely dead. It only took a moment to understand how it had died so easily. As the Cap expanded from the bloodless wound on it's neck to consume the creature completely.
"You ate it from the inside..." She muttered to herself, it was almost interesting enough to keep her mind from the pains. Which almost helped her forget her earlier fears.
"I have to get back." She staggered to a nearby tree, finding her axe stuck into it, and levering it until it was free. Before hobbling her way back towards the town.
It would take her a while, but stopping to dress the wounds would need a lot more time. They weren't critical enough that she would die from them. These were the kinds of things her father would tell her to walk out.
Each minute was a worry in the back of her mind. A worry that brought back other thoughts. Of children laughing, or women screaming, and the smell of smoke.
"I am a Warrior, we protect." She repeated as she hobbled. The mantra of the words helped to empty her mind and keep her feet moving.
By the time she reached the granary and cleared spaces. It was full dark and she stumbled through the various lines and noise makers she had set up.
She pushed herself to see if the woman was still alive, and it was all that mattered. The fact that the traps and warnings still being there not registering to her.
The range of feelings she felt when she laid her own gray eyes on the worried brown ones almost made her cry. She might have broken her promise to protect her, but nothing had happened this time.
And it was a promise she wouldn't fail at again. At least that was the promise she made as she passed out onto the stone floor. The crimson-gold and blue-gold sparks dancing around her.
Astridr was concerned at both the sparks and the collapsed child on the ground. She had seen that look before, the look of desperately trying to push on. Likely another victim of a raid or Challenge who felt wronged.
Though the sparks were a different matter. The very presence of the Seidr in the girl would have had most Shaman whisking her away for apprenticeship. Yet, there were both here, and the Megin seemed deeper.
Taking a breath, she started to hum, her own Seidr flowing like a blue wind around them both. Tomorrow she would have questions.