BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 028 -

Einar watched as the shapes beneath the sheets reformed, and the fourteen Vikings who had died looked at each other, faces not hiding their pain. None cried here. They all knew what they had signed up for. Each desired power and what they came for required them to understand that death was guaranteed.

He nodded at the three men from his pack, sad that Starkard and Thorlief had died. The others in the pack gave them great honor and the report of how both men had managed to fight through the injuries most men would have succumbed to spoke of their incredible vitality.

Off to the side stood the four dwarves, eyes locked upon the ceremony that brought the Vikings back to life.

Varanda noticed his gaze and nodded once, her hand holding the arm with a split on it. Even with healing, the dwarf had been told to be careful and not stress for at least a day.

“This fight was not planned,” Thorodd whispered. “I mean, we had planned to fight trolls, but not like that. You knew it though. How?”

“I could just feel it,” Einar replied. “Everything about this pass seems dark. The dwarves don’t stop when they make this journey and they take a full outfit of forty warriors or more. Right now, they can’t sacrifice that many, which is why they don’t do this trip often.”

He paused and nodded at the Vikings who acknowledged his presence before they moved to the area to get dressed.

“For the last six years this path has erupted with conflict. Bartia and every other dwarf warned us. No matter what happens, from this point on we keep the same formation. The risk is too great for something else like that attack to happen.”

“And you’re going to still camp for a night?” 

“What would you do in my position, Thorodd? Risk traveling with warriors who are healing from injury and even a dwarf that defeated more than any other viking other than myself?”

“No… just… I sense what you’re saying. Something isn’t right, and the darkness is spreading so quickly,” his second-in-command replied. “I’ll get everything in place. Besides, it looks like Vidar, Jepi and Avitue are all wanting your attention.”

Following the large man’s gaze, he saw the three all moving in his direction, each having comforted the warriors under their care who lost their lives.

“Good luck,” Thorodd said as he left.

“He’s a smart Viking. Knows when to run.”

“Thorodd won’t run unless he knows it's better too, Vidar. Now tell me, what can I do for the three of you?”

“The reagents… many of my men are wondering how the split will go. As you know, the heart of each of these can be used in the creation of an advanced rune.”

“And there are more Vikings than hearts,” Jepi added. “Even my warriors are anxious to hear how the split is going to look.”

“It’s only to get worse and I’m not sure your Einar Coins are going to cut it,” Avitue said. “My shield maidens don’t want anyone to think for a minute they aren’t going to fight tooth and nail to earn reagents and runes.”

“Yet we didn’t have any problems when we set out and agreed upon this system,” Einar replied. “My warriors aren’t anxious. What’s changed?”

“Honestly, I think it’s being underground,” Vidar said. “I feel it… There is a… weight that seems to press upon me, wanting to make me question things I shouldn’t. Hearing you speak right now I feel foolish for bringing it up.”

He watched as his wife and Jepi shook their heads, each seeming to react like Vidar.

Are there mental attacks like this? Some kind of dark magic?

“Someone go get Ragna, Kojala, and Thorve. I have a question, and you all need to be here for it.”

“That bad?”

He nodded at Avitue.

“I’ll do it, give me a minute,” Jepi said, moving quickly through the caravan to collect the ones Einar wanted.

“So… I really thought I knew what kind of fun you were promising,” Vidar joked. “Perhaps I didn’t. Still, I am even more anxious to see what lies at the end of this godforsaken tunnel.”

“Fresh air and sunshine,” Avitue said.

***

“Are there spells, curses, or effects that can be cast on us while we travel in this tunnel? The warning Thorve gave us about how we might react being underground so long seems to have either impacted everyone more than expected or something else is at play.”

The two healers and Ragna looked at each other, and a conversation took place without words, as grunts and nods were given.

“In our realm, curses are rare,” Thorve said. “Stories of old mention some things but I don’t have any knowledge of them.”

“There are creatures which used to reside in our realm that stories were told of to children by the old ones,” Kojala added, fidgeting with her braid. “Even I feel what you are describing and it should not be like this for me or Thorve.”

After both women had spoken, everyone turned to Ragna who was frowning.

“You’re asking about creatures, yet no one has mentioned the obvious. Dark elves.”

“Here? This close to the dwarven cities? What would that bring for them?” Jepi asked. “Everyone knows the dwarves are one of the few the dark elves will willingly partner with on some things.”

“But we’re not dark elves,” Ragna replied. “And those tunnels… the new ones look too… good. Magic could do that as could illusions. If we’re facing dark elves and they are casting such spells, we could be in an even worse situation besides stone trolls.”

“Should we ask our dwarven friends?” Avitue asked. “I’m certain Bartia would tell us if she knew anything.”

“I doubt any of the ones in our group would know or could tell,” Einar replied. “What about other creatures, Ragna?”

“You and I would hope there aren’t draugars around,” the rune caster said. 

His words caused most of those present to grimace.

“If there were, it would mean that a cairn or burial hall was present,” Einar said. “Could someone be looking for that and this is where all these tunnels have come from?”

“Not a question I can answer. You’d need to bring the dwarves in for that. And if that’s the case you already know how that would go.  Such a thing would be filled with items and treasure that dwarves care deeply about. While you could see it as a boon for trading, it would also most certainly cause strife among the dwarves present who wanted their fair share.”

“Avitue?”

“On it,” his wife replied, jogging in the direction of where the dwarves had setup camp.

“Einar, you need to be careful,” Thorve said. “We’re not here to search for treasure like a fool. Even worse, we’re not prepared to fight those things that live in Cairns.”

Einar grunted, noticing how the others looked at him, waiting to see how he would respond. 

“Damnit Thorve, you’re right. I’d love to go and see if we could locate one but we don’t even know if that’s true. Still here comes Avitue with the dwarves.”

As the group arrived, Bartia looked at him.

“You needed us?”

“I did. I’m going to ask a few things and need you to hear if what we think is happening is correct.”

Varanda held supported her arm in the sling and frowned.

“What do you think is happening?”

“Could dark elves be here? In this tunnel? If so would they cast magic upon us to try and affect our minds?”

He could see their eyes widening as the quartet of bearded giants all glanced at each other.

“Elves in here? There would be no reason for them to enter into the tunnel between cities. They could easily take the ones that lead from under the mountains to the room they are always greeted at,” she replied.

“She’s right,” Bartia said. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to be here at all. The risk of creatures that live here, like those stone trolls, would be a deterrent. Besides what would bring them here?”

“A Cairn perhaps?” Einar replied.

Each dwarf took a step closer as they seemed to be waiting for his next words.

“Not many creatures that we know of can live in your realm with the ability to affect minds. We can only think of dark elves and their magic and draugar.  If not the dark elves, then it would have to be the latter and they only appear near the burial tombs.”

“There’s no tombs here, are there?” Bartia asked the other three.

“No one would know but Gromm,” Varanda said. “And if he did, he wouldn’t share that knowledge as it’s frowned upon to seek one, but if one was open…”

“What about Kvisi-norns?” one of the male dwarfs asked.

Both women hissed and shook their heads.

“I’d rather face a draugar than those… and if one was here, we would be better off not stopping.”

“What are those?” Jepi asked the injured dwarf.

Ragna coughed and held up his hand.

“We call them… whisper-witches. Usually only found in the dark elves realms but they are rumored to have traded their eyes to Mimir. I… can’t remember everything about them but I do believe they had magic which corrupted minds.”

“And the longer they do it, the worse it gets,” Bartia said. “She’s right, I’d rather go toe to toe with one of the crypt beasts than become mad before one feasted on my flesh.”

“Can we camp one night and then finish the journey without camping?” Avitue asked. “If we run the warriors all day and night, eventually they will grow weary.”

“Three days… maybe four tops based on your horses and the loads they pull,” Varanda replied. “I’d worry about them before your warriors.”

“We could take shifts, sleeping on the carts as they move. Weapons ready,” Vidar said. “It’s not how I would prefer to do it, but I’d also rather not experience what our dwarven friends have said.”

“Thorve, you and Kojala in the same split formation.  Ragna in the middle. We’ll rest six hours before heading out. Wounded rest first and we’ll swap off groups of six every few hours. Someone make sure the wagon masters know we’re going to push hard, feed the horses a little extra, and give them some more water.”

After Einar gave orders, the pack leaders moved to convey them, leaving him standing there with dwarves who didn’t look excited based on their scrunched faces.

“You need to be careful,” Bartia said. “I believe you're right. Whatever is affecting you all is powerful. To see that many stone trolls attack like that… something is giving orders. We were discussing that before Avitue summoned us.”

“What can order stone trolls like that?”

Each dwarf grimaced and Varanda shook her head, speaking first.

“Rumors of dark things, evil things have spread through our cities. Giants are not what we like to endure but one can see and hear them coming. Thick, high walls protect you and they stay away not wanting to trade blows with our siege weapons.

“What lies in here… we thought were just rumors or stories told to keep us from desiring to travel between cities, but now…” she paused and tugged her beard a few times. “Perhaps I will go lie down and rest. What may come will be fearsome indeed.”