BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

The war room was carved from solid stone, its walls lined with maps and tactical diagrams that stretched back centuries. Captain Akrini stood at the center table, his expression grim as he pointed to a detailed map of the volcanic pass.

"This is where we lost them," the dwarven captain said, his finger tapping a narrow section between two lava flows. "Forty of my best warriors. I led them myself."

Einar leaned forward, studying the terrain. Thorodd and Osvif flanked him, their eyes taking in every detail.

"Walk us through it," Einar said. "Everything. What you expected, what actually happened."

Akrini took a breath, and Einar could see the weight of memory in the dwarf's eyes.

"We called him Voldrak the Scorched. That's the name survivors gave him, anyway. A fire giant, thirty feet tall, covered in custom-forged armor that our scouts said came from somewhere in the deeper volcanic realms. He wields a blade of volcanic glass—black as night, sharp enough to cut through plate armor, and hot enough to cauterize wounds as it cuts."

Volcanic glass blade. That's going to be a problem.

"The two lesser giants with him are standard for their kind. Twenty feet tall, less intelligent, but strong enough to tear a dwarf in half. They follow his orders without question."

Akrini moved his hand along the map. "We approached at dawn, thinking the heat would be less oppressive. We were wrong. The volcanic pass retains heat like a forge, and by the time we reached the ambush point, half my warriors were already exhausted."

"Ambush point?" Osvif asked, making notes.

"We didn't know it was one until too late. Voldrak had positioned himself on high ground, watching us approach. The moment we entered the narrow section between these two lava flows, he struck."

The captain's jaw tightened. "First, he used magic. Called down a wall of fire behind us, cutting off our retreat. Then the two lesser giants came from the sides, driving us forward into the narrows. Our formation broke almost immediately—the terrain wouldn't let us maintain it."

"And Voldrak?" Einar asked.

"He stayed on the high ground, raining fire down on us. Every time we tried to push forward or retreat, he cut us off with lava barriers or walls of flame. We were trapped, being picked apart."

Thorodd grimaced. "He herded you like cattle."

"Exactly. When we finally organized enough to charge one of the lesser giants, Voldrak dropped down and engaged us directly. That's when we saw how good he was." Akrini shook his head. "He didn't just swing that blade. He fought with technique, with strategy. Targeted our best fighters first, used the environment, retreated when pressed, then came back from a different angle."

"How did the survivors escape?" Einar asked.

"Pure luck. One of the lava flows shifted, creating a gap in his firewall. Five of us ran. The rest..." The captain's voice trailed off.

Silence settled over the war room.

"What would you do differently?" Einar asked finally.

Akrini looked up at him. "Everything. Don't let him control the terrain. Don't let him separate you. Don't assume his lesser giants are stupid—they follow complex orders. And most importantly..." He tapped the map emphatically. "Don't fight his battle. Make him fight yours."

Osvif was already sketching tactical diagrams. "We'll need to draw him out of the pass. Fight on the ground we choose."

"How?" Thorodd asked. "A giant that smart won't just charge out after us."

"We make him," Einar said, an idea forming. "We threaten something he values more than his defensive position."

"Like what?"

I'll figure that out. First, I need to understand the terrain better.

"Captain Akrini, can you show us the alternate approaches to the pass? Places he might not expect?"

The dwarf nodded and began unrolling additional maps.

***

Day Three

The dwarven smithy rang with the sound of hammers on anvils. Stenri stood among the chaos, directing a dozen smiths as they worked on Viking equipment.

"Lighter armor," the quartermaster explained as he showed Einar a modified breastplate. "Same protection, half the weight. You'll need to move fast in that volcanic heat."

Einar tested the armor, surprised by how it balanced. "This is incredible work."

"It's what we do." Stenri moved to another table. "And these are for the heat."

He held up a cloth wrapped around a small vial. "Fire-resistant coating. Mystic Fotgror created it. Paint this on your shields and armor before battle. It won't make you immune to fire, but it will buy you precious seconds."

"How long does it last?"

"In direct flame? Maybe thirty seconds per coat. In ambient heat? Hours. We've made enough for three applications per warrior."

Jepi appeared at Einar's shoulder, examining the coating. "What about weapons?"

Stenri grinned and led them to the weapon racks. "Reinforced hafts, heat-treated blades, and each weapon has been blessed by our mystics. They won't melt in your hands, at least."

Skardi picked up a warhammer and tested its weight. "This feels good. Really good."

"That one's yours if you want it," Stenri said. "I had it made special. Figured you'd need something that could hit hard."

The massive Viking's grin widened. "I love dwarves."

"Don't get too attached," Ragna muttered. "You'll probably lose it when you die."

"Then I'll just have to not die."

"That's the spirit," Avitue said dryly. "Optimism in the face of overwhelming odds."

Einar watched his pack leaders banter, noting the edge beneath the humor. They were scared. Hell, he was scared. But fear kept you sharp.

"Stenri, what about shields?" he asked.

"Reinforced with fire-resistant backing. They'll hold against his flames longer than standard shields, but don't expect miracles. That giant's fire is hotter than any forge."

"We'll make it work."

The quartermaster studied him for a moment. "You really think you can kill Voldrak?"

"I don't have a choice. Neither do my warriors."

Stenri nodded slowly. "Then I'll make sure you have the best equipment I can forge. The rest is up to you."

***

Day Five

The pack leaders gathered in their quarters, maps spread across every available surface. Einar stood at the head of the table, Thorodd and Osvif beside him.

"All right," Einar began. "We've studied the terrain, learned from the dwarves' mistakes, and we have the equipment. Now we need a plan that doesn't get us all killed."

"Tall order," Jepi said, but his tone was serious.

Osvif stepped forward, pointing to the map. "The volcanic pass is Voldrak's territory. He knows every inch of it, every lava flow, every defensive position. If we fight there, we lose."

"So we don't fight there," Thorodd said. "We draw him out."

"How?" Avitue asked. "A giant that killed forty dwarves isn't going to chase us just because we yell at him."

Einar tapped a section of the map north of the pass. "There's a dwarven outpost here. Small, maybe fifteen guards, but it controls the northern approach to the trade route."

"So?" Ragna asked.

"So, we make Voldrak think we're going to fortify it. Bring in supplies, reinforce the walls, and make it look like we're preparing for a siege. A smart giant will see that as a threat to his control of the region."

Osvif's eyes lit up. "He'll come to destroy it before we can finish."

"Exactly. And when he does, we'll be ready. We fight on open ground between the outpost and the pass. He won't have his defensive positions, his lava barriers, or his high ground."

Jepi frowned, studying the terrain. "It's still a fire giant with two helpers against thirty-five of us. The odds are terrible."

"They are," Einar agreed. "Which is why we split our force."

Everyone looked up at once.

"You want to split up?" Skardi asked. "Against three giants?"

"Against two giants,” Einar replied. “Remember, I have to defeat Voldrak on my own. No help."

Thorodd shook his head. "That’s a fool's quest… Still, thirty-five warriors should be able to kill two giants."

"They don't have to kill them. They just have to keep them busy. Slow them down, wound them, keep them away from the main fight. The lesser giants aren't smart like Voldrak. They can be baited, distracted, led into traps."

Avitue leaned over the map. "And the main focus will be you against Voldrak."

Einar looked around at his pack leaders. "They're only dangerous because he directs them. If I can keep him busy, you should be able to take them out. That should help me in my fight against him."

Osvif was already calculating. "We'd need perfect timing. If the distraction fails, the giants might come and help."

"Then we don't fail," Jepi said. "Who leads the distraction teams?"

Einar met his eyes. "You and Ragna. Your job is to survive and keep those giants occupied for as long as possible if you can’t take them down quickly."

"Just survive?" Ragna asked. "That's it?"

"That's it. If you can wound them, great. If you can kill them, even better. But your primary job is to not let them help Voldrak."

Jepi and Ragna exchanged glances, then nodded.

"We can do that," Jepi said.

Skardi cracked his knuckles. "Finally, something straightforward. Hit the giant until it dies."

"That's the plan," Einar said with a slight smile. "Questions?"

Avitue raised her hand. "What if Voldrak doesn't take the bait? What if he sees through the outpost strategy?"

"Then we go to him. Fight in the volcanic pass and hope we're good enough to overcome his advantages." Einar's expression hardened. "But that's our backup plan. This bait strategy gives us our best chance."

Silence settled over the room as his pack leaders absorbed the plan.

"It could work," Osvif said finally. "If the timing is perfect and nothing goes wrong."

"When does anything go perfectly?" Thorodd asked.

"Never. Which is why we prepare for everything to go wrong." Einar looked around at his leaders. "Two more days. We drill the plan until everyone knows their role. We prepare the resurrection stone and strategically position it. We make sure every warrior understands they might die, and that's okay because we'll bring them back."

He paused, letting the weight settle. "This is what we trained for. This is why we're here. When we kill Voldrak, the dwarves will honor their alliance. When Ragnarok comes, they'll fight beside us."

"No pressure," Ragna muttered again.

This time, everyone laughed.

***

Day Seven - Evening

The feast hall was quieter than usual. Thirty-five Vikings sat among dwarven warriors, the atmosphere subdued despite the food and drink. Everyone knew what tomorrow brought.

Einar sat with his pack leaders, picking at his food. Across from him, Skardi was actually eating normally for once, not his usual ravenous consumption.

"You all right?" Thorodd asked the giant Viking.

"Just thinking," Skardi said. "About what Einar said back in the mines. About dying for something that matters."

Avitue set down her cup. "Having second thoughts?"

"No. Just... appreciating it, I guess. If I die tomorrow, it's for a reason. To stop Ragnarok. To build an alliance. That's more than most warriors get."

Osvif raised his cup. "To dying for something that matters."

Everyone raised their cups and drank.

Jepi leaned back in his chair. "Anyone else terrified?"

"Absolutely," Ragna said immediately.

"Good," Einar said. "Fear keeps you alive. Overconfidence gets you killed."

"What about you?" Avitue asked. "Are you scared?"

Einar met her eyes. "Terrified. Every time I close my eyes, I see us making the same mistakes, getting trapped, getting burned alive." He paused. "But I also see us winning. I see Voldrak falling. I see the alliance forged. I see us one step closer to stopping Ragnarok."

"Which vision do you believe?" Thorodd asked.

"Both. We might die. We might all die. But we also might succeed." Einar looked around at his pack leaders. "And that's worth the risk."

Skardi grinned. "You know what? I like those odds."

"You would," Osvif said, shaking his head. "You like every set of terrible odds."

"That's because terrible odds are the only ones worth fighting for."

Laughter rippled through the table, and the tension eased slightly. Not gone, but manageable.

***

Dawn came too quickly.

Einar stood in the courtyard, watching as his warriors prepared their gear. The modified armor gleamed in the early light, coated with fire-resistant oils. Weapons were strapped securely, shields reinforced. Every warrior moved with purpose, checking and rechecking equipment.

Thorve approached, carrying a small pack. "Resurrection stones are positioned at the rally point, three miles from the battle site. If anyone falls, we can bring them back quickly."

"Good.”

If needed. More like when required.

Mystic Fotgror emerged from the guest quarters, looking even more exhausted than before. He carried a small leather pouch and handed it to Einar.

"Healing runes," the old dwarf said. "Three of them. Crush one in your hand, and it will heal minor wounds instantly. Save them for when you need them most."

"Thank you, Fotgror. For everything."

The mystic placed a hand on his shoulder. "Honor Borin and Grimna. Honor the sacrifice they made."

"I will."

Fotgror nodded and stepped back as the pack leaders gathered around Einar.

"Everyone ready?" Einar asked.

Nods all around. Faces were grim but determined.

"Then let's move out."

The column of Vikings marched through Kvellholl's gates as the sun rose over the mountains. Dwarves lined the streets, watching silently as they passed. Some raised fists in salute. Others simply nodded in respect.

Einar walked at the head of the column, feeling the weight of the Gromril Warstriders with each step. Behind him, thirty-five warriors followed, ready to face death for an alliance that might save the realms.

Voldrak the Scorched… Odin did you know there would be a test like this? To see if I would get aid from the Dwarves?

As they passed through the final gate and into the mountain passages leading toward the volcanic region, Skardi began humming a marching song. One by one, other warriors joined in, their voices echoing off the stone walls.

Thorodd glanced at Einar. "They're ready."

"I know."

"Are you?"

Einar looked down at his boots, feeling the power thrumming through them. Two dwarves had died so he could wear them. Forty dwarven warriors had fallen to Voldrak. The entire alliance depended on what happened next.

"I have to be."

The column marched on, heading toward fire, death, and the battle that would determine everything.