Trial of Naming

Part 1

The Trial of
Naming

The door hung
loose , its hing bent by some great force, and leaned tilted against
the cobblestone wall of the keep. Not many buildings in Lilgrosten
are made of stone. The craft of which is long sought after but the
scarceness of skilled artisans keep its use limited to the most
practical of necessities. A few feet from the shattered door a broken
figure of a man lay. His arms spread wide as blood trickled from a
horrifying gash in his chest. It flowed off his purple and gold
trimmed tunic, forming torrents as it ran across the stone floor.

Across from
the corps another form began stir. It seemed to struggle as it leaned
on a oak table that filled the great hall. Rikards eyes blurred. The
world around him forming slowly as he fought to focus on the light
that poured in from the window above him. He began to muster his
thoughts together which seemed partial and fragmented by the aches of
pain that surged through his skull. What had happened? He could only
remember that he was in the keep of his earl Odstanas the Elder. He
had intended to present the earl with a sword to mark the end of his
apprenticeship and under go his trial of naming.

When his
vision came to he saw the horror that surrounded him. Bodies sprawled
across the room, their faces contorted in expression of agony and
fright. The dark crimson of blood soaked the walls and the pungent
stench of the dead filled the air. He began to gasp but instead
choked on the smell. Taking a few steps forward he found found
himself staring into the eyes of his earl. The body sat in a high
backed chair at the edge of the hall. His head resting in his lap
with a bolt protruding from an eye socket.

Rikard heaved
over and vomited into a puddle of guts and turned to run. Rushing out
of the room nearly tripping over the corpses a sound suddenly became
apparent. A sound that he would come to know more frequently. The
sound of the dying as iron clashed with flesh, and the raging of fire
as it blazed from out side. Exiting the great hall he was assailed by
the sight of Lilgrosten, the village of his birth, burning around
him. Woman and children running as armed men chased them down, their
iron swords flashing swiftly as it bit deep into flesh and bone.

His heart
filled with fear and he thought he might run but, he knew he could
not or how would he ride the great waves in the fleet of Njorgain,
God of the Sea, if he were to be killed a cowards death. So he did
the only thing he could do, brushing away his long raven black hair,
he charged into the village.

The Fires
formed thick clouds of smoke choking his lungs and stinging his eyes.
A house collapsed into cinders and a deafening scream was let out
from within. Spotting a group of three armed men rounding the corner
Rikard picked up a charred hunk of wood from a pile of debris ,and
with all his might he hurled it at one of the men striking him
squarely about the face. A panicked shout was lost in the cacophony
of battle.

The men where
not well armored except for a scrap of iron plate that hung from
there chest. There swords where crude and battered. One of them half
a head taller than the others wielded a finely crafted ax and round
shield with a iron boss heavily dented from numerous use. Picking him
for the groups leader Rikard quickly searched the ground for a weapon
of some sort and settling on a long slender pole that was once the
shaft of some tool readied him self for death.

The first man
to charge him spat as he let out a roar slicing the air inches away
from Rikards naked throat. Slapping his sword aside he swiped the
pole across the mans skull letting out a thunderous crack as the
shaft splintered leaving shards in the mangled mat of dirty gold hair
that clung to his head. Nearly doubling over he seemed to catch him
self and lunged forward with a stab. Rikard stepped to the side and
returned the thrust with another swing, but this time it was to wide
to connect.

The tall man
stood back laughing as if Rikards fight for survival was nothing but
a show for his amusement. The gold haired man took a few steps back
as his other friend much fatter began to circle around him. Not
wanting to be trapped Rikard lunged backwards and held his splintered
shaft as like a spear waiting for these wretched men to make there
move. And they did so by both charging at the same time. The fat one
swinging wide as the gold haired man stabbed again at his stomach.

Leaping to his
right Rikard narrowly avoided the stab, but the fat ones swing grazed
his temple opening a thin cut that threatened to obscure his vision.
Muscles flexed as he then smashed the shaft cross the fat ones skull,
and it grotesquely caved. Blood pulped out as his body began to
convulse and fall to the ground. The blond one looked on terrified.
Stepping back again Rikard readied himself eyeing the tall man with a
since of defiance.

“You mangy
Bastard ill gut you for that!” The Blond one readied his sword once
more raising it high above his head and charged. Rikard stepped
forward at the last second and caught the man in the throat. He
gasped clenching his neck instinctively. Rikard then slammed his foot
into the side of the mans knee causing him to double over, and with a
vicious stab to the side of the head killed him instantly.

“ Well I
cant say I've had much fun today but that might change.” The tall
one spoke with a deep booming voice. His long red hair shown like a
blazing fire braided in a long strand that reached down to the center
of his back a sign of his age and prowess in battle. “Now though
your little side show stops here. I will end you!” he began a
monstrous charge slamming his shield into Rikards body tossing him to
the ground. He swung his massive ax snapping the shaft ,that Rikard
raised in vain to block. The man pined him down with one boot that
seemed to suck the wind out of his lungs, and said “Not even a
challenge, and what a pity that is.”

Rikards arms
reached out around him scrambling for something to fend off his
assailant with. The Man let out another deep booming laugh and
blessed the gods for this day, and raised his ax high. Rikards
fingers seemed to grasp the handle of something from a pool of blood
and as the ax fell he thrusted up what ever was in his hand.

A sword bit
bitterly into the arm of the ax wilder who cursed in anger as his arm
grew limp. With another quick slice Rikard tore into his thigh and he
began to step off of his chest. The Ax came down next to his head
while he rolled away and out from under him. Scrambling to his feet
he hacked away at the iron banding around the edge of the shield and
rushed backwards to gain some distance and catch his breath.

“Who are
you? Why have you come to Lilgrosten?” The winds began to change
and swept the Tall mans hair away revealing his face more openly. His
nose was crooked with a long jagged scar that ran down the edge of
his lip to his chin.

“Well as is
the right of man to know his killer I shall tell who I am.” The man
stared at Rikard , his pale blue eyes empty and emotionless. “ I am
Gerhard Bjornson slayer of men and thane to Svin the Silver Fanged
serpent of the great sea!” He raised his arms out wide and then
pointed the head of his ax at Rikard. “And it is I who will kill
you where you stand and drink from your skull then hang it in my hall
so that I might remember your pathetic struggle.”

“ It is I
who will have your Skull!” Rikard raged as he let the words slip
from his lips. “I shall take your shield and hang it from the bow
of Njorgain's Ship in the After to show all that I have killed
Gerhard Bjornson slayer of children and warrior to sheep!”

Gerhard
sprinted swinging a fury blows with his mighty ax. Parrying each blow
and mustering enough strength to swipe at his exposed wrist Rikard
found him self being forced backwards. I only said that to strengthen
my resolve but yet I am being pushed back by each strike. The shield
came forward as it crashed on to Rikard yet again stunning him.

The world span
around him as he attempted to shake off the pain. Gerhard never
taking his eyes off Rikard stepped forward and prepared to end this
fight once and for all. Yet all was not lost. Rikard rushed forward
ramming his shoulder into the shield pinning it against his chest. He
fended off the ax with his battered blade and heaved with all his
might against the towering figure before him.

Gerhard
started to step backwards to gain the use of his shield. Then with
all his might Rikard kicked his shield as hard as he could. Normally
this would have been nothing for Gerhard Bjornson except his foot and
just fell into the fat mans caved skull causing him to be tossed
backwards. With a thud he clattered to he ground striking his head
as he landed. Dazed he flailed his ax in a desperate attempt to
protect him self but to no avail.

Rikard leapt
forward impacting on his chest and slicing his sword deep in to the
exposed pit of Gerhard's arm. His ax hand fell still the tendons
being severed and blood pored forth. “ You may have bested me, but
you cant dare hope to survive this day” He coughed. His voice grew
weaker as another blow was laid in to his thigh. “ You will die
here if not by me then by some one far better than I this I swear
to.” Gerhard began to spit blood.

“I will die
on my terms Gerhard. I Rikard af Lilgrosten apprentice smith in
service to Earl Odstanas have bested you this day, and it is I who
forms my own fate.” Rikard sliced at his groin twisting and pulling
the blade free with a jerk. Kicking the ax from his hand Rikard began
to step back. “ I will let you die here Gerhard but I will not end
you yet. You will suffer the slow death and you will not have the
honor of dying a warriors death for I will not see you on the great
sea in the After.”

Gerhard's eyes
grew wide. “No you cant do this it is not just! You owe me the
right to die a warriors death! Slay me here give me what I am owed!”

“I owe you
nothing! You have come to my home and killed my people whom could not
defend them selves and you want a warriors death when you would not
give it to your foes.” He paused to breath a slow long breath. “No
you are not worthy to sail in Njorgain's fleet and feast in the hall
of dead with you brethren. You will be taken by the serpent Dracis
and lost in the Long night until the great Storm of the End takes all
and Dracis raises with his army of wretched souls to fight the
mortals of Afsgard.”

Rikard then
wrenched the shield from Gerhard and raised it triumphantly. “Then
I will come with Njorgain on his Ship and find you yet again and I
will slay you for a second time and your soul will be lost to the
void!”

“No!”
Gerhard screamed coughing up blood. “ You miserable rat! I will end
you I will find you in the After and I will slay you and feast on
your corpse!” he began to breath hard and then gargled. There in
the the burning ruin of Lilgrosten Gerhard Bjornson sat drowning in
his own blood. His skin faded and the final light in his eyes dimmed
as his body began to spasm.

Rikard stood
there alone in the street the sound of fire raging around him the
faint screams of the dying berating him. He slid the shield onto his
left arm and began to walk

towards the
harbor. Bodies of men, woman, and children lined the road there forms
frozen in death.

There must be
some one to save. I can not be the only one alive he thought to him
self. He searched to no avail finding nothing but the chaired remains
of his kin. When he made it to the docks he saw a ship not like any
he had ever seen. It was Slender and long, twice as long as any of
the ships made in Lilgrosten. It hull was beautiful covered in
hundreds of shield. Atop the helm was fixed a serpent carved with
gratuitous detail.

The attackers
boarded it and cast off drifting away in the evening tide. Rikard
fell to his knees and for the first time since he was a child tears
formed around his eyes. They ran down the sides of his cheeks and
dropped into the sand. The wind blew hard and with it seemed to go
Rikards chance at understanding what had happened and his revenge. He
was left with sorrow and anger for companions and the image of a
serpent headed ship burned into his memory. He would never forget
this. It would fuel his flame as he searched the ever wide sea for
answers, and for a man called Svin the Silver fanged.