LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 53: She is Here
Mikael felt a shiver run through his spine as he saw the woman before him, someone he hadn't seen in over a decade. That shiver was soon replaced with a rage that dwarfed even that of his hatred for Thorfinn. "You!" He spat out, his voice so venomous it might've killed an ordinary man.
"Are you not glad to see me?" The woman said in a low sultry voice.
"I swore I would tear your guts out and feed them to you the moment you entered my sight once more!" Mikael hissed as he tightened his grip on his axe waiting for the right moment to sink it into the bitches skull.
"A poor way to greet your sister-by-law," The woman spoke. "But I suppose we did part on rather ill terms." Her gaze then travelled to Finn who had no noticeable expression on his face and was instead just looking towards the exit. She smiled. "It's been a while since I've seen you nephew, I can see you haven't changed."
"Don't speak to him!" Mikael shouted at her. "You're the one who did this to him!!!" He spat his voice going hoarse as rage threatened to consume him.
"My sister came to me begging for my help..." she said as she walked closer to them flicking her hand up and reigniting the fire pit. "I helped her, I made her womb bear you fruit, strong sons, beautiful daughters, and all I asked was the firstborn."
Mikael nearly broke the handle of his axe he gripped it so tightly. "I will never forgive you for taking my daughter from me and using her in whatever sick ritual you use to empower yourself! I will avenge her Dahlia!"
Dahlia smiled. "Why don't we sit down for a moment, I have a few questions I need answering." She said as she walked forward and sat down in a seat crossing one leg over the other.
Mikael looked at Finn and nodded. A moment later they both launched themselves at Dahlia crossing the distance between them in just over a second. Dahlia sat there with the same smile etched across her face as before.
"Stop."
Both men freeze, their weapons halted in the air mid-swing. Mikael growled as he tried to push through whatever strange force had gripped his body. His axe started to move and so did his body. Dahlia smiled at this.
"Drop your weapons."
*Clank*
"Sit down."
Both men sat back down in their seats, Finn had stopped struggling realising the futility of it, Mikael however was almost feral in how he tried to escape and get to Dahlia. "You Vikings never change... why my sister married you is still a mystery," she said with an exhale.
"You are a disease! I should've killed you the moment I found you, just like I killed the rest of your village!" Mikael spat out and for a moment a hint of displeasure could be seen on Dahlia's face. She raised her hand clenching her fist, and a moment later Mikael started roaring in pain. His entire body started to shake and blood burst from his nose and eyes, gushing out like a river. Dahlia then stopped and Mikael slumped forward in his seat. "I apologise, Mikael, that was rather childish of me," she said as she took a deep breath.
"Quite embarrassing that I let a lesser being such as yourself rouse me so," she said breathing out a final time then letting her smile return.
"Now... onto why I'm here," Dahlia said as she looked at the two men before her.
"Where is she?" Dahlia asked.
"Mother is not here," Finn spoke out for the first time since she arrived.
Dahlia laughed lightly. "You know I don't mean your mother my dear nephew... though I find it interesting you'd defend your sibling... perhaps there is something still in there," she said with a grin as she looked intensely at him.
"One of you has spread your seed, I don't know who, but I can feel that a firstborn is about to enter this world," Dahlia said with a more serious tone. "And since the last one was unduly taken from me... I am owed this one," She said.
"So speak..."
Neither man spoke, for Mikael it was spite. Normally he would not care about what happened to the spawn of Thorfinn, but he hated Dahlia more than anyone else in this world and he would die defending Thorfinn if it would spite her.
"NOW!"
Both men felt their mouths open up as words forced themselves into their throats. "You are a fucking whore who deserves nothing more than to be a slave, and I will make sure that by the time I die, my sword will taste your blood!" Mikael shouted. Dahlia's magic was not unknown to him and had been explained to him by his wife. She could only usher simple commands if she was not directly controlling someone, and she couldn't directly control those who were supernatural, or enhanced. While she could force him to speak she could not choose the words that came out of his mouth.
"I don't know where they are," Finn lied as he easily caught onto the exploit.
Dahlia looked displeased. She stood up and swiped her hand throwing all the furniture across the room, she then forced both men on their knees. "It seems that we are doing things the hard way then..." she said as she drew a dagger and slashed Mikaels face with it drawing blood.
"I shall have your secrets before the night is done..." she said ominously as she grabbed his face.
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'The one controlling them is here...' Thorfinn thought to himself as the chilling realisation dawned on him. If they were being controlled then was the stranger the one responsible... he had thought so before but now he was having doubts. His mind raced as he formed new connections and ideas, the man had control of nearly half the village and yet he did nothing but watch and hide in the shadows. He could be waiting for the entire village to fall under his control, but why? From what he could see the man was an incredibly skilled warrior. He could've slipped inside and killed everyone in the Longhouse before they'd even awoken.
'She is coming...'
It meant something... Thorfinn didn't know why he'd not considered it before, especially since he'd dreamt about it. Thorfinn walked up to the wall of his home and he smashed his head against it for being so foolish. The fact they were being controlled was right under his nose the whole time and he ignored it. He had been so sure it was an illness, an affliction, because of all the old books he'd read on healing.
'Be careful in using ancient knowledge.'
He'd blinded himself to the facts because of his belief it was a disease —even if it was a magical one.
'She is coming.'
It felt so obvious now that they were all being controlled that it was almost laughable. Thorfinn breathed out, blood dripped down his forehead from the cut that hitting his head had caused. He limped over to the steps down to the courtyard and sat down. The one controlling them is female... she must be a powerful Seiðr to be able to control so many people. She caused those fires to distract everyone from what she was doing.
But what was she doing...
Thorfinn closed his eyes visualising Kattegat in its entirety, something that he found almost too easy. The fires had all been northwest-west of the village, which meant that her goal was likely in the opposite direction.
What was there?
Thorfinn couldn't remember anything important, no granary, no livestock, no weapons. The only thing of slight importance there was the Mikaelson home, it took up most of the southeast of the village. Thorfinn had to dismiss this, he couldn't find a reason why they'd be interested in going there, yet he couldn't stop the sinking feeling in his stomach, like he'd just landed on the truth. Thorfinn looked over to two men who were watching over the afflicted. "You two!" He shouted. They immediately turned "I want you to gather four others and go to the Mikaelson home, check on them then come back," he instructed.
The men looked confused at this but did as he said rushing off and signalling over a few others. Thorfinn then signalled over a slave girl —Eir from what he could remember. "Bring me a drink," he requested. She nodded her head and went to fetch one for him. His throat was sore and every time he spoke it felt like shards of glass scratching against the insides. Eir soon came back with a pitcher and a cup, she gave him the cup and then poured him a drink which he quickly devoured. Despite being warm it soothed his throat slightly, something he needed right now.
He threw the cup down after downing one more drink. "Everyone, search the village, there is a stranger among us! A person you will have not seen before! Find them and kill them! Travel in threes, one of you should be prepared to retreat and gather reinforcements!" He instructed them.
"What about the afflicted Lord!" One of them shouted out.
"Forget them! This is more important! Now go!" He shouted one last time.
"Yes, Lord!" They shouted back and they started searching the village road by road trying to find anyone who didn't belong.
"Lord please come inside, you don't look well," Eir said with concern in her voice.
Thorfinn did not feel well, his body was hot and his mind felt like it was burning. "I am fine..." he said as he tried to walk back but stumbled causing Eir to rush forward and catch him. Thorfinn was heavy for his size however and so she was forced down a bit. Eir wrapped his arm around her body and helped him inside where he sat on the throne. "I'm fine... I'm fine... just need to rest a few moments," Thorfinn said to reassure the slave girl.
"Should I bring anyone, Lord?" Eir said as she knelt by the side of the throne. Thorfinn shook his head "I just need a minute... all of this is overwhelming..." Thorfinn said as he leaned his head back.
"Can I help lord?" Eir asked gently.
He shook his head again. "Just stay here..." he said. Thyri was busy tending to the sick while Arywn was helping keep order, at the moment he had no one to keep him company, apart from Kol, but then he thought he'd rather be alone if that was the case.
"You look scared Lord," Eir said as she leaned in closer.
Thorfinn sighed as he leaned his head back forward. "I am scared Eir, if I cannot solve this mystery soon then Kattegat will fall."
"Because of the stranger?" She asked to which Thorfinn nodded.
"Do not worry Lord I am sure that you will find her soon," Eir tried to say encouragingly.
Thorfinn paused for a second as his eyes moved towards Eir. "I'm sure we will too," he said.
"Girl... tell me, where did you live before you were brought to Kattegat?" Thorfinn asked.
Eir's eyes widened at the question not expecting the Jarl to take such a personal interest in a slave girl. "The Eastlands lord."
"Did you have family there?" Thorfinn asked
Eir nodded. "Many siblings Lord, as well as my mother and father, I hope they are okay..."
"Would you return to them if given the choice?" Thorfinn asked.
"Of course Lord, there is no place I'd rather be than with my loved ones," Eir replied.
Thorfinn nodded but slowly moved his hand off the arm of the chair and down by his side. "Do you have loved ones, Lord? Any family?" Eir asked.
"I have family, though they may not be blood they still mean more to me than anything else and I would die to protect them," Thorfinn said as his gaze moved to Eir, focusing on her intensely. Eir turned her head down and blushed slightly under his intense stare, she found herself nervous in his presence.
Eir was then snapped out of her thoughts by Thorfinn "Can you get me another pitcher of mead," he requested.
She nodded and went to turn however as soon as she did and turned her gaze away for a second Thorfinns hand thrust out at her with a dagger in his hand. Eir's eyes widened as she saw the dagger aiming towards her neck. It was only a split second but she managed to move slightly so that a lethal blow was turned into a deep gash. Eir fell to the floor after Thorfinn attacked her. His eyes were blazing with rage as stood up, still stumbling as he went to finish the job.
"Lord what are you doing!" Eir said in a voice full of panic.
Thorfinn looked at her with a blank expression. "Enough of the mummery, you aren't tricking me anymore," he spat out as his hand squeezed the dagger. He lunged at her again his knife aimed for her neck.
The panicked expression on Eir's face disappeared and she raised her hand. Thorfinn was then thrown back across the room landing painfully on the ground. This fight the attention of the others in the room including Kol who looked up from what he was doing. Eir stood up from the ground whispering an incantation as she ran her hand over her neck. The cut Thorfinn had caused disappeared like it was never there causing some of the women in the room to gasp.
Thorfinn pushed himself up from the ground a look of intense displeasure on his face. "Who are you, and why are you here?!" he said commanding her to answer.
Eir looked almost apologetic as she approached them. There were a few guards in the longhouse, all had drawn their weapons and were finding a good moment to attack. "I am sorry... I don't have a choice," Eir said.
Thorfinn and the others all attacked at the same time but as they moved she immediately started chanting while holding her hands up forcing them all to their knees as they held their heads in pain. Thorfinn who was already suffering the aftershocks of the excruciating pain of devouring the leviathan meat had it much worse, however despite that he was still able to throw his dagger at Eir. She had to stop chanting in order to stop the knife which she flicked away with her finger.
"I didn't want for any of this to happen Thorfinn... I hope you can believe me," she said, she then leaned her head forward letting her dark hair. When she flicked her head back up her hair changed to blonde, and other changes were made too, she started to grow taller, her breasts and body straining against the gown she wore. Her skin became softer and she became more beautiful in general, by the end of the transformation she looked unrecognisable.
What disturbed Thorfinn the most was her face, as it had a disturbing similarity to Rebekah. "Tell me who you are right now!" Thorfinn shouted.
Eir had a look of sadness on her face, especially when she looked into the corner and saw Kol staring at her with confusion. One of the men who had tried to attack her before managed to shake off the effects of her pain and lunged forward to attack her again though as soon as he stood up Eir snapped his leg in half with a simple hand gesture.
Thorfinn clenched his fist growing the power within a white circle forming in his hand.
"Thorfinn... stop... please don't make this more difficult..." Eir said almost apologetically.
Thorfinn did not listen however and threw a powerful punch not caring if he tore the house down. Eir chanted another incantation and managed to shield herself from the wind that had rushed her way. She then clenched her fist grabbing Thorfinn with an invisible force and throwing him across the room smashing him through the tables and chairs. Her gaze then shot it to Kol "No... leave now!" She instructed.
Kol hesitated for a few moments looking at the woman before him. He then ran out of the longhouse, as did the others who were in there leaving only Thorfinn inside. "I know your face... tell me why?" Thorfinn hissed out as he pushed himself up again.
Eir looked nervous, she went to say something but paused, in the end, she took a deep breath and decided to speak.
"I am Freya Mikaelsdottir..."
Thorfinns eyes widened as she said that name. Rebekah had told her that her elder sister had died due to sickness, it wasn't possible for her to be here. "They said you were dead..." Thorfinn spoke out in a hoarse voice.
"In many ways I am," Freya replied.
Thorfinn moved past the broken furniture. "Why are you doing this?" he asked. Thorfinn could see the guilt that etched itself onto Freya's face, it was clear to see she didn't want to do what she was currently doing, but may not have had a choice.
Freya looked around before casting a spell and walking closer to Thorfinn grabbing him by the arms. "Thorfinn you need to listen to me!" Freya said panic filling her voice.
"My aunt, Dahlia is a foul evil woman, she is the one doing this, she is the one controlling everyone!"
"Why!?" Thorfinn asked. He didn't even know who this woman was, what quarrel did she have with him.
"It's the baby, Rebekah's baby will be the firstborn of the next generation, my mother made a deal with her sister many years ago, fertility in exchange for the firstborn, except my mother was tricked into thinking she'd simply have to give up one child..." Freya explained.
"It's not just one, it's every generation from now until eternity."
Thorfinn felt a myriad of emotions in that moment, so much information had been given to him in such a short time frame. Anger, hatred, fear, those were just a fraction of what he was feeling at the moment. "I will blood eagle anyone who tries to touch my family..." Thorfinn growled out with a voice that even made Freya shake.
"I'm sorry... you can't stop her, no one can, she's too strong," Freya said.
"Help me, I can kill her, I have killed creatures far more powerful," Thorfinn asked.
Freya shook her head. "I'm sorry..."
Thorfinn then pushed her away. "If you're not with me then you're nothing more than an enemy," he said as he prepared to fight once more.
Freya looked resigned so she dismissed the spell that hid their conversation and prepared to knock him out. She watched as Thorfinn drew his hand back and she prepared for whatever power he had used before. However, he surprised her by leaping back and throwing his hand up towards the ceiling. "Ahríes þæc!!" He shouted and his eyes flashed golden, a moment later the ceiling cracked and then tore apart as it fell on top of Freya.
Thorfinn was glad to see the spell worked, but what he didn't expect was his spell to be so overpowered. Not only was the section above Freya collapsing but the entire roof of the house was. Thorfinn rolled backwards after landing his jump, he then turned. "Tospringe!" He cast another spell bursting open the wall he then dived out a second before the longhouse collapsed. He could only thank the gods that Lagertha and Bjorn had been sent back to Ragnar's farm otherwise he'd never have been able to do such a thing.
Thorfinn landed on the muddy ground not realising that it had begun to rain. He pushed himself up walking along the side of the house until he reached the courtyard. It was empty apart from the afflicted, which surprised him, he'd have thought they'd be back by now.
*BOOM*
Thorfinn turned his head and saw the rubble of the longhouse explode outwards. A moment later Freya walked out looking as unharmed, she walked down the steps sparing a glance at Thorfinn as she walked to the centre of the courtyard. She extended two fingers and drew it across the courtyard in a 360 motion. All the bindings holding the afflicted were sliced and fell to the ground. "I will kill you..." Thorfinn growled as he moved forward. Freya deciding not to take any more risks extended her hand pushing him to the steps which cracked under the force.
"Well done Freya my love, I knew I could count on you to keep things in hand..." a voice called out of echoing across the night. Thorfinn looked over to see a woman walking through the courtyard, with dark Raven hair and an even darker gown.
"Thank you, Aunt Dahlia..." Freya said in a small subdued voice.
Dahlia then turned her gaze to Thorfinn "You are quite young for a Jarl, perhaps you savages are starting to value something more than death."
Thorfinn drew on his power once more as much as he could. "Ah ah ah, I don't think we need any of that," she said as she raised her hand snapping both of his arms in half making him roar in pain.
Thorfinn looked at Dahlia hatefully, but as he did he noticed that more and more people were starting to file into the courtyard. Nearly everyone in Kattegat was there. Rollo, Floki, Ragnar, Thyri. All with the same blank expressions on their face.
"Let them go..." Thorfinn breathed out.
Dahlia turned to him. "Your people make such good slaves, strong and violent. I'm afraid I'm going to need them to get past whatever resistance my little sister has tried to form."
Despite the pain, Thorfinn pushed himself to his feet. "I won't let you take my child!" He said venomously.
Dahlia looked at him with more interest now. "So my niece's child is yours? That is interesting... you have quite the pool of magic inside of you, I can only hope you've passed it on."
"Unfortunately that means I can't let you live... I can't have you interfering," Dahlia said as the smile vanished from her face.
She raised her hand. "Delfan Eoton—"Before she could finish the spell a small circular object was thrown from the shadows landing in the centre of the courtyard.
Dahlia stopped and looked around in confusion. However a moment later what looked like a miniature arrow was fired with a flaming tip at the end. It hit the small object and then everyone was blinded as a flash of green covered the courtyard.
*BOOM*
Everyone was thrown off their feet including the two women. When Thorfinns vision returned to him he could see a green cloud rise and settle before coming down like snow. He felt strange like a part of his insides were being strangled or confined. Another crossbow bolt fired and hit Dahlia in the shoulder before another one fired after that. This time though an afflicted one from the crowd moved in the way taking the bolt to the chest.
"Damn, Witcher!" Dahlia growled as she grabbed her shoulder in pain. Emerging from the darkness was the cloaked man who had been stalking through Kattegat for the past few weeks.
"KILL HIM!" Dahlia shrieked and the afflicted ones all rushed towards the cloaked man.
The man however raised his hand and a flash of purple shone out. The afflicted ones slowed down as if they were traversing through mud. The stranger then slipped through them drawing his sword, deflecting a sword strike from Ragnar and ducking underneath a swing from Rollo before spinning and reaching his hand out which flashed blue. A force emanated from his hand sending the crowd to their backs.
Dahlia and Freya could only stand there as he got closer to them. However, he was surprised when he heard a growling come from the shadows. A moment later a blonde-furred werewolf emerged from the shadows tackling the stranger to the ground and sinking its teeth into his shoulder. He grunted in pain but quickly drew a dagger and stabbed it in the side. The werewolf jumped off and moved back towards Dahlia. "Do you like my new pet Witcher?" She said as she stroked the werewolf's fur.
"You can't control supernatural creatures..." he simply grunted out.
Dahlia smiled "I know, but thankfully what this poor girl has is a disease... so it seems she can hear my whispers."
The stranger grunted. At this point, the cloud started to disperse and the afflicted started to stand and the spell that restricted them dissipated. "Kill him," Dahlia said and they all charged forward.
The stranger threw down two bombs, one a smoke and the other one filled with silver powder. He then rushed backwards towards Thorfinn scooping the younger boy up on his shoulder and running as fast as he could out of the village.
Kattegat had Fallen to Dahlia.
(AN: So how many of you guessed that the stranger was a Witcher? Pretty cool right. But anyway this isn't just me pulling random stuff out of my arse, there is a reason for a Witcher existing. Thorfinn needs to be introduced to the supernatural world more than he is, a time skip that'll work as a training as well as getting familiar with creatures will do that. Then he'll be ready to sail towards England and conquer some Anglo Saxon pussy. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter. )
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