We looked around the forest, trying to find a suitable place to hide the unconscious berserker. It had to be somewhere far away from the village, where no one would accidentally stumble upon him.

  “The river,” Thalia said suddenly, pointing to the nearby stream. “We can take him there and throw him in. The current will carry him downstream.”

  I nodded, relieved that we had found a solution. We carefully lifted the berserker, but I was the one to carry him. Thalia might’ve been a good warrior, but she was smaller than me.

  The water was a shock of cold on my legs and the current threatened to carry me away, but we managed to wade in deep enough to release the berserker.

  We watched as his body was carried away, disappearing into the darkness. It was a somber moment, knowing that we had just taken a life. Worse was knowing that we would likely need to again, sooner rather than later. These were dark times and the world was in no hurry to fix itself. There were going to be darker days before things got better. More fights. More dead raiders. Hopefully we wouldn’t be joining them anytime soon.

  That was a sobering thought. I hadn’t known Thalia for very long, just under a year or so, but if something happened to her…well, I’d miss our training sessions at least.

  “We should go,” Thalia said, breaking the silence. “We don’t want to be caught out here at night.”

  I nodded, turning away from the river and following her back towards the village. The forest seemed darker now, more foreboding, as if it held secrets and dangers we couldn't even imagine.

  We walked in silence, each lost in our own thoughts.

  "They will send more," I said. "Berserkers never travel alone."

  "I know. Don’t worry, Tristan. You will be ready. I’ll make sure of it."

  "Even then," I said. "A war is one thing, but raiding parties in the dead of night, small groups attacking from all sides..."

  Thalia nodded, understanding the weight of my words. "We will need to prepare the village for any possible attacks. We can't let them catch us off guard."

  I agreed, but the thought of more berserkers lurking in the shadows sent shivers down my spine. These were not ordinary raiders. They would stop at nothing to claim victory, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives.

  We finally got back to my house, which loomed large in the distance. I knew that as soon as we got there, we would be mobbed by servants and asked questions about why we had been out for so long.

  Thalia wasn't the only person watching me.

  I was relatively certain that the household would've reported all my behavior back to my father...if he was ever around, of course. But he wasn't. He was away at court.

  My house was a sprawling estate, surrounded by lush gardens and guarded by armed knights. The front gate was made of wrought iron, with intricate designs etched into the metal. As we approached the entrance, I noticed none of the guards were at their posts. Good. The fewer prying eyes I had watching my every move, the better.

  My house was one of the largest in the village, a testament to my father’s status as a vassal. The walls were made of sturdy timber, with intricate carvings etched into them. The roof was made of thatch, but it was well-maintained and didn't leak.

  As we entered the house, the first thing that struck me was the warmth. A fire blazed in the hearth, casting a warm glow around the room. The furniture was made of dark wood, with plush cushions and fine embroidery. There were tapestries on the walls, depicting scenes of ancient battles and legendary hunts.

  "They must all be asleep," Thalia said as she started to unlace her boots by the hearth.

  "Lucky us," I said, flashing her a tense smile.

  Thalia laughed. "You would complain about having servants."

  "The servants, I don't mind so much. It's their constant watching that irks me. I cannot recall the last time I had a few moments to myself. All this money, yet I cannot afford a lick of privacy."

  "And what could you possibly want some time to yourself for, milord?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye.

  I rolled my eyes at her teasing. "Perhaps just to clear my head. Or to read a book without interruption."

  Thalia’s expression fell. "That’s it? You're such a bore."

  "That's a funny way of saying I can read."

  "I can read too," she replied with a huff. "I just choose not to."

  "If you say so."

  She rolled her eyes and sighed as she rolled up her pants to warm her legs by the fire.

  "You should rest,” she cautioned. “You worked hard out there today, and fought even harder. Let your muscles heal, or all you’ll have done is wear yourself out.”

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  She was right. Again. An annoying habit of hers. "I doubt I'll get much sleep after that. Who do you think sent him?"

  "The berserker?"

  "Yeah," I said, sinking into a comfortable armchair. "There must be more to this than just another random attack."

  Thalia nodded in agreement, her expression thoughtful. "It's possible that someone is trying to weaken your father's hold on the village. Or maybe they're trying to start a war. Maybe you're the target."

  "Assassination's a dangerous game to play at for berserkers," I said, rubbing my temples. "The king wouldn't look kindly on someone starting a feud without his approval. The bloodlines would erupt into open conflict in a matter of weeks."

  Thalia shrugged. "People do foolish things in the name of power. And you're the last of your name. You must have a son, soon, for the protection of your village."

  "Slow down, Thalia. I don't know you that well. I thought this," I tapped the hilt of my sword, “was the only ‘sword’ of mine you had any interest in.”

  She stared at me without reacting. "I'm serious, milord," she said sternly. This time, she wasn't using the word to mock me. "This is about the future of your people. And with the threat of berserkers looming, it's becoming more important for you to secure your bloodline than ever."

  I sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility once again settling on my shoulders as I sat next to her. Funny, I went off into the woods with her to avoid thinking about all this. Fat lot of good that did me. "I know, I know. But finding a suitable wife is easier said than done."

  Thalia gave me a sympathetic smile. "I know. But you have to start somewhere. You can defend your village with your sword, certainly. But what if you're bested in battle?"

  "I won't be."

  Thalia gestured to the intricate carvings on the walls all around us. "Our songs are filled with tales of great and noble warriors who fell in combat. To think that you are greater than all of them is foolishness, and if you want my instruction you will do well to avoid such tactical errors."

  I leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling and ignoring her jab. "I suppose you're right."

  "Of course I am," she said, standing up and stretching. "Now, go get some rest. We need to be prepared for whatever comes next."

  I nodded, standing up and stretching as well. "You're right. Again."

  "You keep acting so surprised, Tristan. You’re going to hurt my feelings."

  "Doubt it,” I said with a grin. Shifting back to business, I added, “Tomorrow morning, we need to find out who's behind this," I said, turning back to face Thalia. "But we have to be careful. We don't want to make any enemies."

  "Yes," she said. "We must be cautious. Let's gather some information discreetly, without raising any suspicions."

  "We could start with my father's library," I said. "I don't expect his records will be up to date, but he has always kept a detailed diary. Perhaps we will find some information from one of his court visits about who might want to target the village."

  "Hopefully that's all we'll find," she said, making a face.

  I laughed. "Fair enough. Good night, Thalia."

  "Good night, Tristan."

  As I made my way to my chambers, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear in the pit of my stomach. The dangers we faced were real, and the stakes were high. But I knew that I couldn't let that fear control me. I had to be strong, for the sake of my people and my village.

  I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, casting shadows on the walls. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the berserker and the looming threat of more attacks.

  I couldn't let my guard down. I had to be ready for whatever came next. I reached for my sword, which was lying on the nightstand, and held it close to my chest. It was my father's sword, passed down to me when he had retired from battle.

  I whispered a prayer to the gods for protection and strength, before finally drifting off to sleep, the sword still clutched in my hands, ready to be drawn at a moment’s notice.

  ***

  I woke up with a start when someone knocked on the door. Some part of me must have decided the knock was part of a dream, because I started to drift off almost immediately afterwards. The knocking got more urgent, more insistent. It felt like it was going to split my head in two.

  "Relax," I said, shaking off the effects of my slumber. "I'm on my way."

  "Tristan," Thalia said from the other side of the door. "I need..."

  "Are you harmed?" I asked when I opened the door. She looked worse than I'd ever seen her; her skin was pale, her eyes bloodshot and rimmed in dark circles, and her hands worrying the handle of her blade. She looked like she’d seen a ghost.

  She seemed to need a few seconds to think about my questions. "I am not," she said. "I just...physically, I am well."

  I frowned at her turn of phrase. "Physically?"

  She swallowed. "The berserker we ran into," she said. "He must have come here first. He must have..." She trailed off, tears sliding down her face as her voice broke.

  "He must have what, Thalia? What happened?" I pressed, trying to keep my voice calm as I put a hand on her shoulder.

  "He must have broken in," she said. "When he was looking for you."

  Her lips quivered as she looked up at me again, her gaze meeting mine before she cleared her throat. "Tristan, he slaughtered everyone," she said. "All of your servants are dead."

  My heart sank at her words, the weight of the loss pressing down on my chest. A small calculation ran through my head, trying to ascertain the number of servants and guards who attended my house. The sum I reached left me sick to my stomach.

  "All of them?" I asked, feeling the tears welling up. “Are you sure?”

  Thalia nodded, her eyes haunted. "He slit their throats then stacked them in the barn."

  My hands balled into fists. "He was looking for me. This was a warning. A message."

  "No," she replied. "This was a game. He could’ve asked where you were and stopped at any point.”

  I swore under my breath.

  “We must leave. Someone will come back and this time, it will be for you."

  "I can’t just leave. I will bury them first," I said, my heart thudding against my ribcage like an animal caged and desperate to be free. Growing up with just my father had been a lonely existence. My servants had been the only family I knew, cooking my meals, mending my clothes, and serving me as if I were royalty. Their loyalty to me was unbreakable, which was why the ache inside me was so profound. I felt like I had failed them.

  Thalia nodded. "I will help you," she said, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "We will give them a proper burial."

  I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. "Thank you," I whispered, before turning to make my way to the kitchen.

  "I don't think we can stay here long," she said softly. "They will send others."

  "We must investigate. Take everything you can, and we can leave at dawn tomorrow morning. I will kill anyone who comes in here today."

  She looked up at me, her lips a thin line. "Not if I kill them first."