EV B2 Chapter 11:

After two days, I wasn't having quite as much fun anymore. We'd gone through a storm, and the clouds were only now beginning to part. The rain had eased up a few hours ago, and I'd immediately come out of the shelter. The canvas tarp that covered a decent portion of the deck had kept us out of the worst of the rain, but we were by no means dry. Sea spray and the storm's relentless downpour had washed over the boat countless times. More than once, we'd had to bail buckets of water from the bottom of the ship.

Still, I found myself with a silly grin plastered on my face as I stood near the prow, savoring the sea breeze and the warmth of the newly emerged sun on my skin. From my position, I was the first to see it—land. I called out, and soon I was surrounded by the others, all of us leaning forward to look.

The other two ships that had come with us were nowhere in sight. Whether they'd been lost to the storm or had simply gone off course, we didn't know. No one seemed overly concerned. There were a few mutterings about how it might make our job harder, but there was no mourning for the loss. Maybe it was because we were still focused on the raid—or the "mission," if I wanted to call it that. Or maybe it was simply that everyone here had already accepted the danger. Most of them, or at least many, wouldn't come back. Still, the lack of emotion felt odd to me.

Astrid and I didn't dwell on it. We just went along with the flow.

As we drew closer to the shoreline, we realized there wasn't just land—there was a castle of sorts. A large main tower rose above the rest, capped with bells and a cross. The bells started tolling as we approached, but no soldiers emerged from the keep's entrance, nor did any line the walls with bows or crossbows. Instead, a pair of large wooden doors at the entrance began to swing closed.

We ground onto the beach below a steep cliff about fifty feet high. There, we disembarked quickly. Everyone raised their shields, moving cautiously, as we were already within bowshot of the walls—but nothing happened.

A staircase, conveniently carved into the face of the cliff, zigzagged its way up toward the entrance. It would have been an excellent defensive barrier if it weren't for the neat, deliberate switchbacks, each nearly four feet wide. Together, we moved in formation, running up the stairs with Astrid and me in the front line.

Astrid carried a shield but clearly didn't know what to do with it. Luckily, it wasn't so hard to figure out. She held it awkwardly in front of her torso, protecting her vital organs, while her bow remained slung over her shoulder.

I wasn't used to holding a shield either, but it wasn't too hard to get the hang of it. A sword and shield felt intuitive enough, and I could already feel myself growing more comfortable with it. Maybe it was my stats—or something else—but whatever it was, I was gaining proficiency incredibly quickly.

When we reached the top of the stairs, the gates were shut. The only person visible was a fat, balding man standing atop the gates, shouting at us in a language I didn't recognize. A sinking feeling twisted in my stomach. I didn't understand what he was saying, but the lack of recognition felt intentional, as though no one here was meant to understand.

Still, I knew who these people were. Friars or monks of some kind, dressed in brown robes tied with simple knotted ropes at their waists. Their heads were shaved in a strange, circular pattern that seemed almost comical—at least if the pudgy man yelling down at us was anything to go by. His head looked like it had been shaved, though it was hard to tell if that was intentional or just male-pattern baldness.

"Are we about to raid a monastery?" I whispered to Astrid.

"A what?" she asked, frowning.

"A holy place. A church," I explained.

She lifted a shoulder in an uncertain shrug. "Yeah, probably."

I frowned, trying to remember whether she was supposed to know that or not. But before I could think on it further, the crew charged forward, slamming their shoulders against the gates. The heavy wooden doors shuddered but didn't budge. We pushed harder, but it was clear something braced them from the other side.

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To our surprise, though, the gates moved a few inches without us needing to find an improvised battering ram. They didn't open fully, but through the narrow crack, I could see a half-dozen men frantically leaning against the doors, trying to hold them shut. There wasn't even a wooden brace barring the way—just their bodies.

"What?" I muttered, confused.

We pushed again, harder this time, and the unathletic holy men were shoved aside. One got caught between the door and the wall with a yelp while the others turned and bolted. The second we had the doors open more than a foot, the raiders surged forward.

Swords drawn, they rushed into the courtyard, cutting down the fleeing men within seconds. Around me, everyone spread out, darting into side doors and searching the stone buildings for loot.

I stood there for a moment, stunned before Astrid grabbed my sleeve. Together, we set off deeper into the castle.

"I thought you said we'd be fighting soldiers," I muttered to her. The air was thick with the scent of fresh blood, and the distant screams echoed off the cold stone walls. It wasn't what I had signed up for—or at least, what I thought I had signed up for. "You said it was bloody and hard."

"It was!" Astrid replied over her shoulder as we went deeper into the monastery. "I don't know what's different."

"This is not at all what I was okay with," I grumbled, ignoring a monk who ran across the parallel hall. He caught sight of us, screamed, and promptly turned to flee in the opposite direction, robes flapping awkwardly behind him.

We kept moving, not bothering to chase him.

"What's next?" Astrid asked, scowling as she glanced around.

"I don't know," I admitted as we stopped in what must have been the grand hall. Row upon row of pews stretched down the aisle, leading toward a raised altar adorned with gilded crosses and statues.

"I'm pretty sure the goal was to gather enough wealth from the castle—or at least take the castle," Astrid said, glancing at the sack I carried. Each of us had been given one to fill with whatever valuables we found to bring back home. But as I looked around the hall, my hesitation grew.

"So you think we should just loot the place?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged. "Unless you've got a better idea."

"I-" I started to reply but trailed off. I didn't have a better idea. Not even close. And yet, I highly doubted we were supposed to protect these monks. That didn't align with anything I knew about Valhalla or its culture. But neither did this—attacking a defenseless settlement. It was also revealing to know that Astrid was more callous than me.

Slowly, I stepped forward, walking down the center aisle toward the altar. Astrid followed, her eyes darting to the various doors. Aside from the faint echoes of distant screams, the monastery seemed eerily quiet.

"They're just… NPCs," I told myself under my breath. "Not real. Just part of the simulation."

But somehow, that thought didn't make it any better. I could imagine the desperation of the monks—starving, powerless, and terrified. I couldn't picture myself as one of the Raiders either, no matter how hard I tried. What would it be like to be a hungry, warlike raider hyped up on fear and adrenaline, attacking a holy site like this to bring back riches for your family?

Maybe I was overthinking it. Trying too hard to sympathize with these virtual people. But it felt wrong. Wrong in a way I couldn't shake.

Shaking my head, I muttered, "What am I supposed to be learning from this trial?" My voice echoed slightly in the vast space. "How is this even a challenge in the proper sense? What was Baldur thinking?"

Astrid glanced at me, but she didn't answer. She just followed as I reached the altar and began examining the items. Among the gilded decorations, we found a book written in something that looked like an old Germanic language. I couldn't read it, but I tucked it into my sack anyway, alongside a pair of unlit golden candlesticks and a few other small items.

With our sacks a bit heavier, we turned and headed through another door. Occasionally, we spotted people in the distance—monks fleeing down the corridors or raiders with full sacks of loot, grinning as they searched for more.

When we stepped back out into the courtyard, a horn blared in the distance. The sound was low and commanding, followed by the clatter of hooves on stone.

"Ah," I said, my stomach sinking. "There it is."

Astrid exhaled, her shoulders sagging slightly in what looked like relief. "Yeah… um, this makes a little more sense now."

"So, what do you think?" I asked as we started sprinting toward the entrance. "Were we supposed to get in and out before the reinforcements came? Or are we supposed to hold the castle against…" I waved vaguely toward the sound of the horn and the hooves.

Astrid glanced at the doors ahead, her pace quickening. "I guess we'll find out," she said grimly.

We reached the entrance and peered outside.