Last time, Shani and Abisayo received an interesting invite from the Order of Whispers. And they learned that they aren’t the only elves on Tyria.
((To my European and German readers, please forgive my German.
It’s horrible, I haven’t spoken it since I was in my teens.))
It’s times like these
When lines are drawn
Which side of the fence
Are you standing on?
There will come a day
Not so far away
When the hunter
Becomes the prey
lyrics from War Eternal, as performed by Arch Enemy
Frostgorge Sound, five days earlier
Jenna Icefang held an arm around her Norn companion protectively. She looked to her sister, Magda Snowfang with concern. Jenna had managed to rescue Magda from the clutches of the Flame Legion, but in their escape the only thing they managed was to walk into a den of Svanir. At least they managed to rescue this Norn woman.
“Magda,” Jenna called out above the wind. “She’s hurt. We need to get to shelter.”
“Too far,” Magda said with a shaky voice. At least it wasn’t nearly as shaky as when Jenna found her. Being with her sister again, helped bring back some of her bravery. “We’ll need to make a stand.”
“Give me a weapon,” the Norn said. “Three can fight better than two.”
“You’re leg is broken,” Jenna said.
“Then give me a pistol,” she spat back. “I’ll not die to Svanir sitting on my ass.” Jenna nodded and pulled out her pistol and handed it to the woman.
“Get ready,” Magda called out. “I can hear them coming up the slope.”
The three heard the boisterous laugh before they saw the figure seem to emerge from the falling snow. Shards of ice covered his shoulders. He’d been fully corrupted by the dragon, Jormag. “Put down your weapons,” he called out in a booming voice. “You women would be better served to mend my clothing and cook my meals.” The three of them saw his eyes move to the Norn woman between the two Charr. “And bear my children.”
Valla, the Norn woman, was about to spit back an insult to the Son, but heard the air as an axe zipped past and buried itself into the Svanir’s chest. He recoiled a bit and screamed in pain as he tried to grasp the hilt of the axe. His attempts as he tried to stay on his feet were met with a voice calling out in a tongue he’d never heard.
“Sie haben keine Ehre. Sie sind mit der Korruption gefüllt. Sie werden hier sterben.”
The Svanir looked up from the axe to where the voice came from. He could see several figures standing beyond the Charr and the Norn. They were huge, but not as big as Norn. Still, he felt an overwhelming want to flee.
“Ertrag und dein Tod schnell sein. Widerstand zu leisten, und ihr werdet leiden , wie wir in die Unterwelt schicken.”
A blonde woman that he saw, who held onto another axe, spoke aloud but toward the first woman. The Svanir now noticed the long, red hair, and the greatsword she carried. “Ich glaube nicht, er versteht Sie , Mutter.”
“It vould seem zhat he does not understand indeed,” the woman announced as she changed the language to something the Svanir could recognize.
“Get on your knees, pig,” a tall, black haired woman with a staff called out in a furious voice. “You are in the presence of Queen Hildegaar Freyasdottir, Queen of the Nords, General to the Valkyrie.”
“Now, now, Brunhilde,” Hildegaar said with a calming hand. “I am most certain zhis… man… has no idea who ve are or vhat zhose titles mean.” Hildegaar turned to the blonde woman at her side, the one who spoke before. The daughter of Hildegaar. “Avalona, you should retrieve your axe.”
“Vit pleasure, Mutter,” Avalona said with a very vicious looking smirk. Without another word she walked over to the Svanir. He towered above her, but even he could sense she had no fear. By now he had removed the axe from his chest and attacked Avalona with it. With ease, she stopped the blow as she grabbed his arm with her free hand, then raised the other axe she held and swing it down against his arm. One blow, and she severed his arm, freed her axe and stood before him.
The Svanir cried out in pain and just a bit of fear. The two Charr, who watched with some confusion and a great deal of interest, sat back to defend their friend as Avalona swung both axes down right on the Svanir’s head. Freed from his body, the head rolled down the hill, and the body, slumped to the ground, now lifeless.
The three looked around at their sudden saviours, holding weapons firm just in case. “You haff no need to fear, friends,” Hildegaar said with a kind smile. “Ve mean you no harm at all. Ve are here seeking an old friend.”
“Then… you have our thanks,” Jenna said with a nod. “We’ll let you go on your way.”
“I am afraid ve cannot do zhat,” Hildegaar said as she sheathed the greatsword onto her back. “You are injured. Ve are honour bound to assist.” She motioned to one of the other women, a dark skinned woman who wore leathers and held a spear. She had a snow leopard with her. The woman went to the injured Norn and began looking over her wound. “I am Hildegaar Freyasdottir, as Brunhild Margosdottir said. Zhis is Petra Tigerclaw,” she said motioning to the woman treating the Norn’s wounds. “Unt my daughters,” she continued as she approached the blonde woman and another brown skinned woman with hair fashioned similar to the blonde’s. “Avalona unt Frigg Elva.”
“You aren’t Norn,” Jenna said to Hildegaar. “You look like Norn, but you aren’t.”
“Ve are zhe Nords,” she replied, repeating what Brunhild said earlier. “Ve are a race of elves charged vit protecting zhe north. Unt right now, zhat includes giving you aid. Ve can search for our friends in time. Right now, you are our concern.”
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