The dungeons were surprisingly clean. I can’t imagine the warriors of Blood Hall kept prisoners often, when captives were almost always sacrificed to honor the Gods. In fact, I could safely say that there hadn’t been anyone here for hundreds of years, considering the cells themselves appeared almost pristine, sporting only dust and cobwebs. There were no bloodstains on the stone walls or bits of bone or anything, really. The place was truly empty – so empty, in fact, that I might’ve been the first person to be held here, since... well... ever.

The old man chuckled as he pushed me inside the largest cell and locked the door. I glared at him. He glanced around the dungeon with wide, almost curious eyes. “I have been alive for almost a hundred years and not once have I seen a single prisoner held here.”

Oh, I guess that answers that question.

I sat down on the cold stone floor and leaned against the wall. This was certainly better than the wooden hut I’d lived in for most of my life – a lot better. There was a barred window in the central portion of the wall of my prison, where the light streamed in; I suspected that I’d be able to see out of it when I grew taller in the future, provided I lived that long. Then again, Morkai apparently wanted me to grow strong enough to kill him, which meant he’d at least try to keep me alive if I proved worthy of his efforts. “How is this going to work, exactly?”

The only way for me to grow in power was to succeed in the challenges of the Gods. I don’t think I’ll be receiving anything from within this cell.

“I don’t know,” The old warrior shrugged. “Lord Morkai cares little for the lives of others; he has fathered no children or adopted any. You’re the first child he’s brought back from a raid that is not meant to be sacrificed. However, considering my lord’s intent, I’d assume you would be trained and tested again and again until you’re deemed strong enough to challenge and possibly kill him.”

I nodded. I suppose that made sense. Strangely, the quest to kill the enemy leader was still there. I hadn’t failed it. The Wolf was giving me the chance to try and try until I succeeded. I mouthed a quick prayer of thanks. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint.”

The old warrior nodded and grunted in response.

Quest Received!

Escape Your Prison Unseen, Reward: 2 perks and 1 skill (Eagle)

Talk Your Way Out of Prison, Reward: 1 mutation and 2 perks (Serpent)

Fight Your Way Out of Prison, Reward: 1 perk and 2 skills (Wolf)

My eyes widened slightly. The gods do not want me to stay here?

Do Not Drink or Eat for Five Days, Reward: 2 perks and 1 skill (Whale)

Well, the Whale didn’t seem to care, either way. But this a glorious thing. The Gods finally took notice of me. This was the first time I’d ever received challenges from all four of them at once, also the first time I’d received a challenge from the Serpent.

I wasn’t certain which challenge I would undertake or, really, which one of them was achievable. As loathe as it was to admit it, I couldn’t just talk my way out of this; I probably could, provided I somehow knew the right combination of words and how to say them, but I didn’t. The Gods never offered challenges that were impossible, but this one was especially daunting. I offered a prayer of apology to the Serpent; I would not be able to rise to its challenge for now. Escaping this prison without being seen would also prove to be problematic, but not nearly as difficult as talking my way out of it. All I’d need to do was wait for the dead of night, when most people were asleep, and try to escape then; the question of how I was even going to do that lingered in the air. The walls were made of stone and the bars of my cell were made of metal – old and withered metal, but metal nonetheless. And the gap between the bars themselves were not so wide as to allow me to slip through. I couldn’t find an immediate way out – for now. But, I’m certain an opportunity will present itself if I remained calm. Fighting my way out of here was... not going to end well. Morkai’s patience was not infinite and I knew it wasn’t particularly large to begin with; I’d die. I could probably kill a warrior or two if I had the element of surprise, but that was likely as far as I’d get. Once my presence was noted, I’d be surrounded and likely killed this time. I don’t think anyone in Blood Hall would be particularly sad to see me go after I bludgeoned that pregnant woman to death and tore her mate’s neck – at least, I assumed that man was her mate, judging from his violent reaction to her death.

The Whale’s challenge was... interesting. I didn’t have to escape or kill anyone or talk to anyone. All I needed to do to survive it was to starve myself for five days. The rewards were also substantial: two perks and a single skill. Considering they would come from the Whale, I figured they’d add to my overall ability to live through things that would otherwise kill me. And, thus, I made my decision. I would undertake the Whale’s challenge first. When I was stronger, I would try my lot at escaping. After all, the Gods did not specify a time limit, which meant I was free to complete them at my leisure.

That was good, because I was in desperate need of rest.

The old warrior turned as someone else entered the dungeon, a giant of a man who was carrying the boy over his right shoulder. The boy himself was now wide awake, eyes open as he regarded everything around him with a mild disinterest, tinged with fear. He was thrown into the cell that was next to mine, which was smaller and did not have a window, and subsequently locked in, just as I was.

“Are you well?” I asked him, but I did not move from the spot I’d chosen to sit on.

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The boy shook his head and crawled to a place on the floor that was bathed in sunlight. There he plopped down and spread his arms wide. “I am alive. I was expecting my own death. Your plan was ill-conceived, but not if you were planning on dying, which I thought you must’ve been after you explained it to me. Why am I still alive?”

“You are alive, boy, because the Crimson Lord of Blood Hall has deemed you unfit for death,” The old man suddenly said, walking towards the boy’s prison. “He has decided that you are more useful alive than you are dead.”

The boy raised his head and gave the old man a cold look. “Why use could I possibly have? I’ve already given myself to the Gods; I wish to be sacrificed with the other prisoners, instead.”

“If the Gods truly wanted your soul, then they would’ve already taken it,” The old man replied. “For now, be content with the knowledge that they have given you the chance to further prove yourself of their embrace. What is your name, boy?”

“Thorstein Siggyson,” The boy replied and it was there that I realized that I’d never really bothered asking him for his name before, but then the opposite was also true; it wasn’t as though we had time for pleasantries or introductions anyway. And, truth be told, I didn’t care much for him. Still, he tried to help me when every other child was cowering in fear; despite his reasons, I couldn’t help but feel respect for him. The old man was wrong, the Gods surely found him worthy of their embrace if he suddenly took his last breath right then and there. The Wolf favored the brave, the bold, and the strong, after all. The rest of the Gods would be happy to hold his soul in their domain.

“Siggy...” I recognized his father’s name. The memory, however, was distant and foggy. I recalled a blonde man who once entered my home, back when both my parents were still alive. They spoke of a raid and something related to it; I barely remembered the encounter.

“Very well, Thorstein,” The old man began. “You have a fine name. I do not know what will become of you, but Lord Morkai took you in for a reason; I don’t expect you will be sacrificed anytime soon. Don’t try to kill yourself, either; we have healing mages who can bring you back from the brink of death. So, just don’t try it. Eat and rest, and regain your strength; that goes for the both of you. I expect the coming years to be... difficult. Goodbye. A thrall will come and bring food and water for the both of you.”

The old man walked out, leaving us behind to stew in our own thoughts.

I breathed in and out, and closed my eyes. The silence lasted for nearly an hour, before Thorstein suddenly spoke. “Why do you seem unbothered by the cold?”

He asked. I turned to glance at him. He was shivering. Covered in damp furs and shivering intensely. Ah, right, I’d forgotten that the cold was outright deadly for most people. I wore only a dirty wool tunic and a pair of wool breaches that used to be a subtle off-white color, but were now a dull brown after all the dirt and grime. My feet were wholly exposed. “The Whale granted me a boon; ice and snow and the ravages of winter cannot harm me. I can walk through a blizzard and feel only slightly chilly.”

“Huh, I wonder what that must be like, to be born beneath the gaze of the Gods,” Thorstein replied, huffing and puffing. I noted the envy and the hatred in his eyes; the latter was not directed towards me, I thought, but seemingly at the world in general. “I wish I was Blessed, like yourself. I wish the Gods smiled upon me as they smile upon you.”

I frowned. “Both my parents are dead. I have lived alone for... a long time. You lived with your uncle, did you not? At the very least, you had some family left to take care of you. I had no one but myself.”

“My uncle did not care for me,” He replied, before sighing. “But, I suppose that does not matter. I envy you, because you can grow strong – stronger than any human could ever grow to be.”

“I thank the gods for this gift of theirs every single day,” I told him. I then closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the stone wall behind me. “But I did not ask for this gift. It was given to me. The Gods decreed that I was to walk this world beneath their gaze. And you, Thorstein, should not speak as though you lack avenues to gaining power. Even those who are not Blessed can gain strength through sacrifice; you know this.”

“Aye.” It was through the sacrifice of souls that ordinary men might attain a measure of ascendance, growing in strength and power and becoming more than mere humans. Of course, they would never reach the same level as a Blessed, like myself, but the Gods were kind to all their children and anyone could reach the pinnacle and become one of the Chosen, through perseverance and will. Thorstein, I figured, was beloved by the gods as much as I; surely, he would reach great heights and not be bound in his weak mortal form forever.

We stopped talking after that. An hour or so later, a scarred and mutilated woman walked through the entrance to the dungeon. Her feet were bound in chains. And around her neck was a glowing collar that held the symbol of the Eagle – some sorcery to mark her status as a slave, perhaps? She carried with her a wooden tray of roasted meat and bowls of soup, alongside chunks of crisp bread. She set it all down on the floor and placed it near the bars of our cells. The bowls of soup were small enough that we could pull them inside; the roast meats were cut thinly, as well.

My mouth watered. It looked absolutely delicious. I would not, however, fail the challenge of the Whale.

And so, I breathed in and swallowed the lump in my throat as Thorstein began eating in earnest.

My stomach grumbled.

I will not fail.

Hours passed rapidly. Thorstein ate all the food. My stomach screamed for even a single morsel, but I forced away the hungering thoughts and focused on the Whale’s challenge. With nothing to do, however, that task became increasingly difficult. I was thirsty and hungry and could barely think. No one else visited the dungeon for the rest of the day. Night came quickly and soon the walls of our cells were wrapped in shadows. I forced myself to sleep, despite the hunger in my stomach. It was a familiar pain, however.

In the morning, I was roused to the sound of heavy footsteps just beyond the metal bars of my prison. I pushed myself up, my stomach burning. Thorstein was still asleep.

Standing outside my cell was a host of warriors. In front of them was Morkai, dressed in his crimson armor, the scaly hide of a great lizard beast draped across his shoulders.

“You will watch the sacrifice with me, girl,” He said, opening the door. “Come.”