*****
[ V.A.L.H.A.L.L.A ]
Magnus / Einar Sibbison
Age: 32/19
Strength - 30+34
Endurance - 28+20
Agility - 28+10
Perception - 24+10
Wisdom - 22+3
Mysticism - 26+11
Runes:
Gungnir’s Strength (Chest) Legendary (Hidden)
Max Training Stat for Strength, Endurance and Agility is racial limit plus 50. 2.5 x Growth Rate
25% Bonus to Perception - No Stat Limit
Max Training Stat for Wisdom and Mysticism is 50. 1.5 x Growth Rate
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 10% Bonus to Strength and Endurance
Lvl 2 + 10% Bonus to Agility and Perception
Lvl 3 Divine Protection. 50% Damage Reduction for 1 Minute. 5 Days
Lvl 4 Healing of the Gods - 100x Healing and Wyrd Regeneration Rate for 5 minutes. 3 Day Cooldown
Lvl 5 Thor’s Blessing - Summon one bolt of lighting to strike one target. 14 Day cooldown
Lvl 6 Rune Empower - 1 Minute 2x All Stats, seven day cooldown
Experience 18%
Warrior’s Defense (Back) Advanced
10% Bonus to Endurance
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 5% Bonus to Endurance
Lvl 2 + 5% Bonus to Endurance
Lvl 3 + 5% Bonus to Endurance / Resist Damage
Lvl 4 + 10% Bonus to Resist Damage
Lvl 5 + 5% Bonus to Endurance
Experience 77%
Warrior’s Blessing (Stomach) Advanced
10% Bonus to Strength and Endurance
5% Bonus to Damage
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 4% Bonus to Strength and Endurance
Lvl 2 + 5% Bonus to Strength
Lvl 3 + 7% Bonus to Endurance
Lvl 4 + 5% Bonus to Damage
Lvl 5 + 10% Bonus to Strength and Endurance
Experience 100%
Might of the Viking (Right Arm) Advanced
10% Bonus to Strength
10% Bonus to Damage
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 10% Bonus to Strength
Lvl 2 + 7% Bonus to Strength
Lvl 3 + 5% Bonus to Perception
Lvl 4 + 5% Bonus to Strength
Lvl 5 + 10% Bonus to Strength
Experience 100%
Forked Rune of Elements (Head) Advanced
15% Bonus to Wisdom and Mysticism
Advanced Lightning Affinity
Intermediate Fire Affinity
Basic Ice Affinity
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 10% Bonus to Mysticism
Lvl 2 + 8% Bonus to Mysticism
Lvl 3 + 15% Bonus to Spell Damage
Lvl 4 + 25% Bonus to Wyrd Recovery
Lvl 5 + 10% Bonus to Mysticism
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Experience 100%
Rune of Primal Body (Right Leg) Advanced
+7% Bonus to Strength and Agility
Rune Level Bonuses:
Lvl 1 + 6% Bonus to Strength and Agility
Lvl 2 + 7% Bonus to Strength and Agility
Lvl 3 + 8% Bonus to Strength and Agility
Experience 98%
Strength Milestone - Rank 1 - All damage done with melee weapons is increased by 25%. Muscle is denser, resulting in a 10% decrease in damage taken from all attacks.
Endurance Milestone - Rank 1 - Resists Attacks as if twice normal height and weight. Health increased by 25%. Body is naturally more resistant, resulting in a 10% decrease in damage taken from all attacks.
Agility Milestone - Rank 1 - Attacks are 30% Faster. The ability to see incoming strikes and dodge or parry them is increased by 25%.
Mysticism Milestone - Rank 1 - Spell damage is increased by 20%. Wyrd regeneration is increased by 20%. Casting time for spells is decreased by 10%.
Boon:
Thor’s Might - 15% bonus damage done to creatures that are twice your size or larger.
Time Remaining: 2 days
*****
Shaking his head, Einar sighed as he stared at his stats, pushing against the back of the wagon that held the siege weapon. It, like all the others, was bogged down in the mud.
Even with all these stats, this thing barely moves. We’ve lost so much time and I’m about ready to give anything for some bug repellent.
“You said it was a swamp, but this…” he stated, slapping a mosquito that had landed on his cheek, “is way worse than I had imagined.”
“The lack of horses and the number of carts and materials is the problem, not the swamp,” Bartia stated. “We both know if you had a few extra horses, these carts would easily move through this muck.”
As she finished speaking, curses from two carts ahead could be heard
“What’s wrong now?!” he yelled.
“Wheel’s stuck!” Skardi shouted back. “I need Thorodd and Hallad!”
Looking behind him, Einar spotted the two Vikings helping with the last two wagons, which were empty and pulled by the warriors since they were out of horses.
“I thought Odin loved you,” Bartia teased as he moved through the slick muck toward the end of the caravan. “Why couldn’t he dry out this place before we arrived?”
Grumbling to himself, Einar made his way past the other wagons, spotting his wife frowning at him.
“If you keep making that face, it might stick and I’m not going to kiss you then,” she informed him as he moved past her.
He knew she was joking and tried to let go of his frustration. The knowledge that terrain was causing them more problems than creatures or giants was humbling. Every warrior knew that the land and weather could kill someone just as easily as a foe, yet it had been a while since he had been humbled so badly.
Taking a deep breath, he let it out and forced a smile.
“Better. Do you need help? I can get down and push.”
“No. Your pack has already taken its turn. You’ve still got a good hour before we switch again.”
Shrugging, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat.
Eight more hours of this, according to Hogni, if we can maintain this pace.
“Thorodd! Hallad!”
His voice carried over the others who were shouting and calling out to each other to help navigate the path.
“What?!” his second in command replied, putting a hand out before the other Viking next to him, who had a rope over his shoulder like he did.
“Skardi needs help. You two are up!”
“And this?! You want me to just leave the wagon with these two?”
Nodding, Einar smiled as Osvif and Eskil each glared at Thorodd.
“Just for a few minutes. That is, unless you want us to get stuck because that cart blocks the path and everything else slows down or stops completely.”
Both Vikings grunted and tossed their end of the rope at the other two, quickly jogging toward Einar.
“We’ll get it moving. Help them?” Hallad asked. “Surely the great Einar Sibbison can pull this all alone.”
Laughter came from both warriors as they ignored the gesture he gave them.
Carefully moving through the mud, Einar motioned to the two Vikings to toss them the rope that had been thrown to them.
“You can’t be serious,” Osvif stated. “There’s no way.”
“Those wheels are already starting to sink and you need to keep pulling and talk less. Anything is better than nothing.”
“Do it,” Eskil huffed. “He’s right and you know it.”
Without wasting another second, both men tossed him the ropes and Einar caught them, wrapping them over his shoulders and under his arms.
“Let’s go!”
Grunts came from all three as they leaned forward, doing their best to push through the mud and not slide as they fought against their most formidable opponent.
***
“I never knew how much I missed dry land,” Skardi sighed as he lay on the ground with his feet extended near the fire. “Tell me we don’t have to go that way when we return home.”
“Oh you’re screwed,” Bartia replied. “That’s exactly what will have to happen. Hopefully this time you’ll have a few more dwarves or some real horses to help, though.”
“Real horses?” Thorodd asked. “Like the one you ride?”
Laughing, the dwarf shook her head. “No. Mine's nothing compared to the real workhorses we use. Easily about four or five hands taller than mine and much wider as well. You all would look like children riding one of them.”
“Is that four or five of your hands our mine?” Osvif asked, wiggling his fingers in the air.
“Mine.”
“Do I want to know what one of them costs?”
Bartia grimaced as she glanced at Einar. “I can’t answer that as you’ll get charged a higher rate. Most dwarves don’t want them. Like your men, they are moody and prone to causing problems.”
Avitue and the two other shield maidens with her began laughing as their dwarven ally winked.
“You also need special horseshoes for them. A standard shoe isn’t going to work and they require special attention to their hooves. You can’t trim them just by using a normal knife or blade.”
“So tell me again why we’d want them?” Thorodd asked. “If they’re that much of a pain, what’s so special about them?”
“Because one could pull each of those carts on their own and faster,” Bartia replied. “Trust me when I say that you’ll see a few at some point and when you do, you’ll understand. They won’t win a race for speed but the power they possess is unmatched by most work animals.”
“Maybe we should but one or two,” Avitue whispered as she squeezed Einar’s arm. “Surely having them would be helpful and if they could breed with our horses…”
A groan came from their dwarven friend.
“You better hope that you get a mare and find one of your horses some blocks to stand on if you want to attempt that,” Bartia stated. “I’m not sure any of your horses could do what needs to be done.”
Thorodd opened his mouth and shut it when Thorve elbowed him and shook her head.
“Don’t,” their healer warned, “she’ll make you blush like a young maiden if you go down that path.”
Scoffing, the second in command picked up his cup and drank it.
“Seems someone has managed to teach him a little tact and wisdom,” Einar teased, ignoring the scowl Thorodd gave him.
***
“Get everything set! We’ve only got a few minutes at best!” Einar shouted.
Vikings and workers moved, positioning the carts near trees, quickly unhooking the horses, and taking them deeper into the woods.
“I’m not sure about this plan,” Bartia told him. “This isn’t like the first giant you faced. If your warrior's words are right, this one will be much harder to take down.”
“We don’t have a choice and you know it. It’s chasing them now and there’s nowhere to run. We can’t go into the forest as it’s too thick and the carts won't make it. The swamps are just as bad if we get caught there. At least here we have a chance!”
Shouts came from Vidar and Jepi as both pack leaders announced they were in position.
“Einar, listen! These giants kill my kind when we fight. Even with our tactics and weapons, they aren’t easy foes. Your men and women are going to–”
“Don’t!” Avitue snapped. “We’re here to help and we know we’ll die. You and I have spent many nights around the fire talking about this. No one wants to die, but none of us fears a good one. Besides, you already said this is the only way to the next town and then to the pass.”
A cry caught his attention as the front end of a wagon crashed downward and two bodies were sent flying forward.
Einar’s eyes spotted the large roots rising and falling under the soil, appearing to have been run over by drivers and now disabled the wagon that carried a portion of their supplies.
“Samansa! Thorleif!”
Both Vikings moved, dropping their weapons as they approached the wagon and tried to assist.
“This is turning into a shit storm,” Einar muttered. “What happened in a single day?”
“You better pray the gods are with you,” Bartia said. “Listen, you can hear it.”
She was right, and he turned his attention back down the road where Drifa had come racing a few minutes ago. Her horse was lathered in sweat and announcing the news of the giant that had surprised her and Hogni.
The ground seemed to shake, and he felt the steady cadence of a run. He sensed the shifting of everyone's attention toward the threat.
“Osvif! Be ready!”
Near a tree line, the cart with the harpoon was ready, his friend set to fire it when the opportunity presented itself.
Odin… we’re going to need some help here.
Having prayed, he whistled and the sound was echoed as each pack leader prepared, getting their warriors set, poisoned spears ready.
“Try not to die, my love,” Avitue shouted as she ran off toward her shield maidens.
Grunting, Einar grabbed his spear that he had stuck in the ground, pulling the butt of it free from the soil.
“For Odin!”
His shout caused others to mimic him, their voices echoing in the forest as the sight of the best archer they had came into view.
Behind Hogni, a few seconds later, Einar realized what Bartia had warned him about when he could finally see the giant as it charged after the fleeing Viking.
“Holy Hel.”
