"It's been a while, Godfrey."

Taking a moment to respond, Godfrey took his sword out of its sheath, aiming it at the man.

"BJØØØRNE!!!!!"

Although confused, Marie still drew her sword. ‘How does he know that viking?’ She looked at the viking warily.

“Tell me, how have you been these last three years? That scar treating you good?” Bjørne chuckled.

“It has, actually.” Godfrey held his stomach. “And how’s that scar I left you with?” He smiled back.

The two came to a halt, but the rain continued to pour down relentlessly. Godfrey was growing increasingly irritated with the rain ruining his hair, while Bjørne remained dry under the cover of the nearby trees.

“You mean this?” Bjørne showed his left hand, his thumb severed. “It’s nothing really. Like, being bitten by an ant.”

“What’re you doing here?” Godfrey’s blood was boiling, wishing he could cut down the man in front of him. “This village…it’s just a normal village.”

“As was yours.”

“Don’t mess with me! This isn’t the same, I can tell!” Godfrey was losing to his emotions more and more. “What are you looking for?!”

Just as the rain had yet to stop, the lighting followed by thunder had also not stopped. The claps of lightning in the far distance as it also illuminated the sky.

“Must I need a reason to spare those that hold hatred towards me?! They didn’t even fight back!” Bjørne’s smile grew even larger.

“They wouldn’t hate you if you didn’t do things like this in the first place!” Godfrey swung his arm to the side. “I just don’t get it.”

“Yes, you don’t.”

“Must you massacre so many innocents! Not to mention, the disrespect to the bodies!!”

“Do not play the high horse over me, Godfrey. Must you forget how you dismembered the body of my friend back in your village? Or perhaps how you played dirty in order to cut my thumb off.”

“Oh, don’t go and act as if you have any shred of honor!!” Godfrey’s tone turned sharp. “They attacked me first, and what you’ve done, I will give back tenfold!”

‘It’s a pity, but I’ve got no more time for useless chatter.’ Bjørne thought, emerging himself further out from the protection of the trees. The rain now falling on him as well.

“Tell me, Godfrey…” Bjørne’s face turned serious. “Do you know of a boy named John?”

‘John?!’ Godfrey thought, tightening the grip on his sword.

The question burned in Marie's mind: How did he know of John? Yet her face betrayed no hint of her curiosity.

“No, I can’t say I have. And even if I did, why would I tell you?”

“So, you have met him then. Toke’s son.” Bjørne said, while thinking, ‘It would appear this is the end. I shall strike you down, Godfrey, even if I shall be locked by the chains of boredom’ his face turned grim.

“What?!” Godfrey’s face twisted in surprise, then quickly morphed into terror. “I-Impossible!”

“Just who is that?” Marie whispered, noticing the abruptness of Godfrey.

“I’ll tell you after this is ov-“

“The leader of all Ostmen.” Bjørne readied his ax once more, lightning striking a nearby tree. “In other words, the King of all Vikings.”

‘No!’ Godfrey refused to believe John could be of Danish blood. ‘That boy, there is no way he could carry the blood of these Devils.’

“I already told you Bjørne, we know of no boy by the name of John.” Godfrey had finally managed to calm down his emotions.

“Are you saying we’re wrong? Doesn’t matter anyway, we’ll ask the boy ourselves.”

“Whether I know of this John or not. I won’t let you leave Bjørne. This time, I shall end you!”

“You can try, but like the many of times before…you’ll fail to avenge that brother of yours.”

‘So that’s what this is. The reason he’s so angry.’ Marie had come to understand why Godfrey acted so differently in front of this, Bjørne.

Accepting no way out, the two began to circle each other. ‘Will this be our last battle, brother of Cedric, and student of Lucan…Godfrey.’

‘After so many times…will I finally succeed in my revenge.’

The two adversaries stood motionless, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze as they circled each other with deadly intent. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the sky, striking one of the houses in the nearby village with a thunderous roar.

“GODFREY!!” Bjørne let out a fierce battle cry as he charged towards Godfrey, his massive ax held high above his head in a threatening vertical swing. Godfrey quickly reacted, dropping down and narrowly avoiding the deadly blow as he felt the rush of air from the ax's passage.

With lightning-fast reflexes, he countered with a swift jab of his sword, aiming for Bjørne's feet in an attempt to disrupt his charge. However, Bjørne jumped back just before it struck him.

“Alright, then.” Marie said, closing in on the two. “KGH!!” Godfrey clenched his teeth, his sword pushing into Bjørne’s ax. “Say…how is Lucan?” Bjørne pushed harder against the ax, his face only a few inches from Godfrey. “I know Toke gave him a parting gift from France!”

“Would you shut the fuck up!” In a fit of rage, Godfrey launched a swift kick to Bjørne's chest before delivering a powerful swing aimed squarely at his head. Despite the force behind the blow, it somehow missed its mark, much to Godfrey's annoyance.

Taunting his opponent, Bjørne took a few steps back and sneered, “Almost got me there, didn't you?”

“Yeah…and I won’t miss the next one.” Godfrey took a deep breath swinging the sword from over his own head, only to be met with the wet mud of the ground.

“Just give the boy-“

While Bjørne had rolled away from Godfrey’s previous attack he forgot about Marie. “Woah!” Bjørne let out, a blade right next to his eyes as he barely dodged the strike from behind.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“You…you’re like a rat, aren’t you?” Marie positioned herself.

Having no actual response, Bjørne laughed. ‘Yes! There’s still talent other than Godfrey! Perhaps, she’ll become even stronger if I kill Godfrey in front of her…’

Godfrey noticed Bjørne couldn’t contain his excitement. “Just what the hell are you thinking ab-“

WHOOSH!

Godfrey barely dodged Bjørne’s unexpected attack. “Yeah, I forgot…you have no honor.”

Godfrey rushed Bjørne, Marie also attacking from behind. Every time Bjørne blocked one hit, he’d simultaneously dodge the attack of the other person.

“Fuck it!” Godfrey stuck his sword in between Bjørne’s ax, tackling him to the ground. Tumbling around, the two grappled, Bjørne attempting to get up while Godfrey attempted to keep him down.

“For Sir, Adam.” Marie appeared behind Bjørne, sinking her sword in his lower back.

“Urgh!!” He let out, finally pushing Godfrey off him, a light chuckle following. “Guess this is another draw then…”

“No, it isn’t. You’re cornered, Bjørne.”

“Is that so?” Bjørne walked over to his ax. “Look.” He suddenly pointed towards the horizon, Marie and Godfrey turned to look and saw the sun setting on the sea, casting a golden glow on the water. But their moment of awe was abruptly shattered as a dark mass appeared on the horizon, gradually taking shape into a fleet of boats.

The sound of oars cutting through the water grew louder with each passing moment, until it became a deafening roar.

“It can’t be! They just left!”

“Am I not still here?”

“Fine, I’ll kill you before they get here.”

Godfrey picked his sword off the ground, preparing himself to end his revenge. To fulfill his justice.

“Get down!” Marie yelled, tackling Adam, both of them falling down the hill. “Ack!” Godfrey groaned, “what the hell, Marie!” He stood up.

“Do you not hear them?” She pointed to the sky. Although confused, Adam soon noticed it.

The two stood frozen as the silence of the night was shattered by a piercing sound. Their eyes widened as they looked up to see a barrage of arrows raining down upon them, turning the dark sky into a canvas of light and shadow. The whistle of the arrows filled their ears, and the cold metal tips gleamed in the moonlight.

“We may have dodged those, but we need to go back to go back to the horses” Godfrey commanded.

The two turned around and Marie placed her head under his left arm, helping him walk faster.

“Thank you.” Godfrey lamented.

With no audible response, Marie nodded her head.

*********

“This spot shouldn’t be bad.” Alice smiled. “Right, John?”

Looking up, John noticed they were in the forest near his village. “Why…are we here?”

“John, what do you want to do to those Vikings who attacked your village?”

“I…” John paused, remembering the moments he spent with his mother and friends. “I’ll kill them. Every! Last! One!” He leaned on the tree.

“And how do you plan on doing that? You’re nothing, but a weak-weak boy with nothing.”

“I may not be privileged like those nobles…but my ambition shall be much greater.”

“That’s a fool’s game. Do you think you’re the only person going for revenge? Only a handful become a genuine strong person through revenge. And while unfortunate…most fail.”

Alice watched as John's expression shifted before her very eyes. The deep sadness that had been present on his face was slowly replaced with something much darker - an unmistakable, seething hatred that seemed to emanate from every pore of his being.

“As true as that may be. I’ll make sure I get my revenge by any means necessary.”

“Even if it means you’ll kill innocents such as your mother?”

“Why would innocents be involved?”

“Did you or did you not say by any means necessary?”

John's eyes narrowed as he considered Alice's words, his gaze fixed on the damp earth below him. The air was thick with the scent of the surrounding trees, their leaves heavy with rain. "If it had to be done," he said finally, his voice cold and measured, "then I would do it."

“And what would God think of that?”

“Why should I care? He’s abandoned me and those close to me.”

“The path you wish to walk is a path of sin.”

“If I must rot in Hell for eternity in exchange for my revenge then so be it.”

“Then the path of revenge it shall be.” Alice whispered, continuing. “Unsheathe your sword.”

John’s confusion showed, but he still listened, unsheathing his sword. “Now what?”

Alice stood firm, her hands outstretched and her eyes locked onto John's. The water on the leaves dripped rhythmically beside her, as if waiting for the impending violence. "Strike me," she said firmly, her voice unwavering.

“What?”

“You said you could kill innocents if need be, no?”

“Y-You’d just throw your life away?!”

“What I’m doing is for your sake.”

“And how’s that? Nobody would just give their life up…not for something in return, at least.”

Alice took slow steps towards John, the mud squishing beneath her boots. The sound reverberated in John's ears as she spoke with a soft yet stern tone, "God will never abandon you." She reached out and grasped John's sword, lifting it up and stating, "You are not capable of taking the life of an innocent, no matter how strongly you feel. However, if you were to end my life, your emotions would become easier to manage."

“Perhaps…” John paused. “But I still don’t see why you’d die for my revenge.”

“You’ve lost your way.” She brought the sword closer to her chest. “But it mustn’t mean you won’t find it once more. After all, what will you do once you’ve completed your revenge?”

Alice's voice was steady as she spoke, but John could sense a hint of madness in her eyes. "Kill me," she said, blood from her hand trickling down the sword. "End this pointless conversation and begin your bloody rampage. But know that your soul will be forever stained with the blood of the innocent." John's heart raced as he stared at Alice, his mind struggling to comprehend the situation.

John’s thoughts were in turmoil, his hand shaking as he held the weapon. “Do it, John! Throw the whole damn world into chaos if you must!”Alice’s words echoed in his head, urging him to throw the world into chaos. But at what cost?

The headache intensified, and his stomach churned with sickness. He needed to find a way out of this, but his mind was clouded by the pressure. He closed his eyes, hoping for a moment of clarity.

“No more running!” Alice yelled.

‘Just what is happening?’ John thought, all outside noise vacant from his mind. ‘W-Why? Why must I kill her?’

‘Is she not a follower of God?’ John heard from his own mind.

‘Huh?’

‘She follows the very being we despise, no?’

‘She does…but she’s done not-!’

‘Our revenge! It’s no longer limited to those Vikings who murdered our mother, but also to the being who abandoned her!’

John's eyes opened, and he looked at the sword with a grim, unsettling intensity. The reflection of his face in the polished surface seemed almost demonic, twisted and distorted by the darkness within him.

‘KILL HER!’

John gritted his teeth and drove the sword into Alice's chest, causing her to gasp in pain and slump against a nearby tree. Blood seeped from the wound and stained her clothes, but she managed to wipe it from her mouth and speak. "Good," she said, her voice strained. "Now, go. Begin your revenge."

“I…I’m so-“

“Stop,” Alice seemed to have no air in her body as she struggled to speak. “You can’t apologize…. not anymore.” She gripped her sword wound tightly.

A thunderous voice bellowed from the vicinity, "HUNT THEM DOWN!"

‘What?!’ John twisted his head towards the voice.

‘So they're already here, eh?’ Alice chuckled; tried at least - a wheeze followed by a dry cough, and she mustered up the last of her breath. “Hurry…LEAVE!” Alice urged John, shouting with red-stained lips.

Following her command, John took off, leaving behind the sword stained red in Alice's heart. "My faith in you is absolute," she murmured, looking up as the rain mingled with her blood, drenching her being in a sorrowful embrace.

“Don’t disappoint me now…”