Val walks through the crisp wooden halls of the ship searching every corner with determination. As Val approaches a hallway just shy of the rear of his ship he can hear a sly giggling. Val slows his pace and come to a stalking speed as he reaches the turn. Val looks over to one of the Ships scientists who was currently sitting at the end of the halway and asks, “Have you seen young Thorkell?”
The scientist shakes his head no while staring towards the sound of the giggling. Val crouches down to creep around the corner but before his sight can break the walls line Thorkell pounces on him with a wooden sword and begins shouting “Die you wretched druagr!” before ramming the sword into Vals armpit. Val smile as he looks down at the wooden blade piercing his armor before standing up and ripping the sword out. Val looks at the blade and then at Thorkell and says, “I guess you father never told you about the draugr.”
Thorkell backs up into the wall with a confused look and asks, “How are you not dead?”
Val laughs maliciously before staring at Thorkell and shouting “When facing druagr...” Val places the wooden sword on the wall at head level with Thorkell and continues with “YOU ALWAYS GO FOR THE HEAD!”
Thorkell screams before kicking Val in the foot and runs off down the hall. Val holds his foot in pain and mumbles “This is why I never had kids.” before chasing Thorkell down the hall.
As Val approaches the two steel doors that protect the kitchen, he sees Thorkell peeping his head inside. As Val approaches Thorkell he can smell the sweet aroma of honey and various fragrances of fruit from the many planets they have explored. Val walks up to Thorkell and asks, “Want to see how we make the “Nectar” we all enjoy!”
Thorkell nods his head in excitement and before Val could open the doors Thorkell burst through them and races around staring at various ingredients. The fruits were spread across containment shelves with mist rolling down them. The thin white sheet of mist blurred the vibrant color of the organized rows of plants. Thorkell walked down the isles fascinated by the displays of mystifying fruits. Some small and almost crystal clear with a green or purple tint, the swift blend of sweet aromas rushes past Thorkells nose as he reaches out to try one of the crystal-like fruits. Val runs and pulls Thorkell away before telling him “Be careful in here, unless treated properly and prepared exactly right most of the plants will kill you.”
Thorkell looks at his uncle with a longing look of dread as he asks Val “Than why do use them to make nectar?”
Val sits on the ground in front of Thorkell before taking a deep breath and explaining “Because they are some of the sweetest plants we could find on our journey across the cosmos.”
Thorkell continues with “But if they are so sweet why do they hurt us?”
Val looks Thorkell in the eyes and says, “I was hoping this was a conversation for you and your dad to have.” Val runs his hand down his beard before continuing with “Sometime in life the things that disguise themselves as sweet are normally the most harmful. Take those crystal fruits for example because their home planet is filled with small insects that want to eat them, they developed the ability to paralyze anyone who eats them. If they are treated right before serving though and heated to just the right temperature before being mixed with honey and water, they make an amazing nectar.”
Thorkell just smiles and says “But I like strawberries, and they are sweet! So does that mean they are harmful?”
Before Val could say anything more a young man runs into the room and shouts “we have a creature outside the ship!”
Val rushes towards the cockpit of the ship where his gear was left before his brother departed on his journey. Val picks up his silver armor and places his hammer crest into the socket. As he puts his armor on, he feels the ship begin to shake violently as if it was being attacked by something large. Val tries to hold his stability as he places his helmet on and begins approaching the exit of the ship. Val stumbles through the ship smacking into each wall as the ship continues to violently shake and a loud blood curdling screech can be heard. As Val departs the ship the smell of rotting carbon engulfs the air around him, through the armor and fur he can feel a light heated wind flow from above. Val feels a slick and saliva like substance land on his right shoulder. He looks up to see an eight-legged beast prowling above him hungering for its next meal. The creature was monstrous in size with orange and black scales casing its body. Val stares the creature in its eyes, one eye was black and the other a bright red. The creature cries out as if to challenge, Val pounds his chest calling a massive hammer to his hand. The hammer was golden with a permanent red tint from the countless number of enemies he has slain through his years. The hilt of his hammer was wrapped in what appeared to be serpent scales. As Val looks over his Hammer he smiles and shouts towards the beast “Child of Sleipnir and Jörmungandr you’re a beautiful creature, it is a shame what I must do next.”
The beast roars a blistering roar before smacking Val through the tree line behind him. Val smacks into a tree and attempts to catch his breath but before he can stand the beast crashes in front of him. As Val stands face to face with the beast Val hears a small voice cry out from past the beast followed by the footsteps of a child. Val is unable to make out what is being shouted but the voice is familiar to him. Val shouts out “Thorkell! Listen here boy, you stay back. I will be fine I have fought many of beast like this.” Val reaches down to feel an empty socket where his Thors hammer should be. Val begins laughing as he realizes what Thorkell was attempting to tell him. He looks at the beast and says, “Fair enough you want a good fight, everything on the line.” The creature rushes toward Val as if he were going to try to throw him once again. As the beast gets close to him, Val swings his hammer slamming it into the beast's front left leg ripping it off. The beast retreats as its leg flinches and curls at Val’s feet. Val takes the beast's leg and wipes blood from the severed end. Val takes off his helmet and wipes a streak across his face with the beast's blood. Val then places his helmet back on before chasing the beast, trying to prevent its return to his ship.
Val rushes through the trees which now seem endless. As he follows the trial of the beast fog begins to rise from the ground gripping him like the hands of the dead. The fog felt heavy to breathe in and was thick and seeing through it was close to impossible. Val was stopped in his tracks by the deep sounds of steps swimming around him. Val attempted to track the steps but as he found a way to locate one set more would sound off behind him. Val rotates frantically scanning for any signs of an attack. As The fog continues to engulf the area around him slowly inching forward as if it was dancing with Val. Val cries out in a loud and desperate shout “Fight me! You fucking bastard!” Val looks down and his hammer is missing and is now replaced by the severed hand of Thorkell. Val looks over the hand, still twitching as if still connected to him. Val flails his fists through the fog trying to clear a path, scouring the ground for any sign of his brother's son. Val shouts out “THORKELL!” and drops to his knees with tears streaming down his face “Come to me my boy! Please...” Val finds himself at the head of Thorkell and begins to feel relief.
Stolen story; please report.
Thorkell looks up at his uncle and laughs before asking “Do you think dad will be mad?”
Val left out a hearty laugh as tears continued to twist down his beard. “How could he be mad? You stood in front of the kin of Loki and live to tell the tale.”
Thorkells hand grips Vals wrist as his head rotates revealing it was ripped from his body pieces of spine and flesh still stringing from his neck as he replies “Not for me, I will see him in Valhalla. It is you I worry about, after all, you have failed him again.”
Val attempts to remove Thorkells hand, but his grip only grows stronger as he struggles to remove it. “What are you talking about? I have never failed your father.”
Thorkell looks his uncle in the eyes and says “I am sure you know by now you can't lie to me. I know your fears, and I know about what happened that night my mother died!” Val falls onto his back as the severed hand of Thorkell crawls up his arm. As the hand reaches Vals throat Thorkells body now stands above him holding his detached head. “I know it was your fault she died! I know the only reason she died is because you two snuck off to betray my father!”
Val begs with the few breathes he can manage to get out “Thats not what happened!” The hand Grips tighter around Vals neck as he cries out “ACK..... I would never betray my brother's trust!”
Thorkell places his head back on his shoulders and asks, “Then why sneak off?” Val looks down towards the ground where now laid the unidentifiable body of a women ripped apart like nothing more than a cheap meal. “Why sneak off?!” Thorkell shouts as Val reaches out grabbing the hand of the woman.
As Val placed his grip on the woman's hands, he felt the fitted grip of old weathered leather firmly caressed in his hand. The leather had his handprint etched into it from his countless times using it in battle. Val grabbed the hand on his neck and realized it was the tail of the beast from before. Val musters all his strength into one swing which collides with Thorkells head but as it does Thorkell transforms into the beast. As Val releases himself from the creature's grip, he catches his breath and then begins bludgeoning the creature with swing after swing striking the beast directly to its head.
Val stands over the beast breathing heavily with tears streaming down his cheeks. As he watches the life stream from the creature, he lets out a vicious war cry as his body shakes and saliva spills out from his mouth a loud “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” can be heard echoing through the skies. Val falls to his knees as tears stream down his face he cries out “I couldn’t stop nature, as much as I loved them both she was needed by the Allfather.”
As Val sits on the ground, Thorkell can be heard crying for help. Val quickly stumbles to his feet and races towards Thorkell. As he reaches Thorkell he notices Thorkells once icy blue eyes are now clouded in a blend of white and green. Val Places his hand on Thorkells face who is now tossing and turning on the ground. Val quietly whispers to Thorkell in an attempt to comfort him “You need not worry boy; I am back here with you.”
Thorkells eyes drifted off as if he was watching through the eyes of the norns. As he glanced through his uncle he muttered “Soon we shall be called to the great feast.”
Val’s eyes continue to tear up and lightly smacks Thorkells face and pleads “You aren’t ready to fight in Valhalla!”
Thorkells eyes fade to a pure white before blood begins to drip from the corners. Val picks Thorkell up in front of him and rushes onto the ship. As he reaches the ship Thorkell begins coughing and with each breath blood spills out of his mouth and his breathing now sounds as if he was underwater. As Val makes it to the medical bay, he is met by a blonde woman tall as the giants but before Val could explain anything Thorkell is taken from his hands, and he is shoved out of the medical bay. Val bangs on the medical bay door with each hit sending a loud Thump echoing through the ship's hull. Val begins to plead “Don’t do this to him allfather, I already caused him to lose his wife I can’t be the reason he loses his son too.” Val continues banging on the door each hit gets weaker and weaker as blood begins to pour down from his hand staining the medical bays white door. Val falls to the ground staring at the blood as it rolls down the door begging for Thorkell to be returned to him.
Val notices a shadow approaching him his side and as he looks over he notices the same blonde woman who took Thorkell from him now kneeling beside him her face wore a comforting smile which blushed her cheeks a rosy red her physique was large and almost rock solid as if she was built to carry the weight of anything that would be thrown at her but her face was soft and delicate. Val found himself entranced in her welcoming glow and yet amazed by her contrasting features. The woman lifted Val to his feet and began to speak with him her first words fell short of his ears as if she was a goddess and he was not yet worthy of hearing her. As she continued to speak, he slowly was able to understand her light and breathy voice as she comforted him with “You need not worry about the boy he has the best care we have available.”
Val wipes away his tear and straightens his spine as if trying to hide his insecurity and weakness as he replies with “I don’t worry, I know he will be ok after all he will either grow with us or the gods in Valhalla.”
The woman laughs and says “I dont think we have been fully introduced I am Eir and I can ensure you the boy will not yet be dining with the gods.”
Val turns his head away from Eir to hide his look of relief from her as he says, “That’s a fitting name for a beautiful woman such as yourself.”
Eir places her hand on the back of Vals head and gently brings him close to her. As Val’s head reaches Eir’s shoulder, he wraps his arms around her waist and tears continue to stream down his face. Eir remains silent and just brushes her hand across the back of Vals head. Val takes welcome in her silence as he fumbles his word through his tears “I ... Can’t lose him he is all I have left to remember his mother... I already cost her the life she was promised... I... I cannot cost her son the same chance.” Vals grip on Eir’s waste tightens Eir takes in a quick breath and pulls Val closer to her as Val continues “She should have never been on the blasted ship with me. I knew better than to think she could have ever been mine. It was childish dreams that killed her, she was wed to Hamund but we both longed for each other. Who was I to question the gods? As if I knew better then Freyja in the battles of love. She made me pay for daring to question her will with that blasted sea beast.” Vals grip loosens as he pulls himself away from Eir. Eir’s face is now red as she tries to hold her smile through tears. Her smile seemed to hide a pain that even Val knew was too great to bear.
Val takes a pause before placing his palm against Eir’s cheek and faking a smile of his own. Vals smile was mostly hidden behind the scruff of his beard, but Eir knew that Val could see her pain just as easy as she did his. Val found himself stuck in place unsure of how to address Eir. Val was afraid that if he were offering the same courtesy Eir showed him, she would shut him out. Eir turned towards the door where Vals blood now stained and placed her hand on the security lock. As the door opened Val found himself still standing reaching for Eir hoping she wouldn’t abandon him in this now baren hall. Eir entered the medical bay with no word or acknowledgement of Val but as the door closed Eir turned toward Val and showed her glistening smile one last time before saying “The dead should never be the burden of the living; the Norns play fate out by their design love and pain exist together for a reason one cannot exist without the other.” As the door closes Val is left staring at his blood which has now been mostly stripped away by the sliding door and the frame meant to hold it. As he stares at his blood his fear of losing Thorkell now is paired with an urge to learn of the woman who comforted him and a hope that he could help her the way she helped him.