"I can’t take this anymore." A warrior said as he leaned over sitting on a small crate. The others around him nodded with equal frustration as dirt and grime built up on their bodies. "I haven’t eaten a proper meal and can’t even sleep anymore."

"It seems they are not giving us a chance to rest anymore." One sighed as he looked at the wall that had people fighting on it. Astrom’s men had been able to get up briefly but it was hard to break through with the thousands resting in Helstia. Despite that, the town was packed and everyone struggled to even find a place to rest.

"Why are we even fighting anymore?"

"That’s dangerous." Someone quickly said as he looked around making sure no one overheard.

"I don’t care anymore. The queen doesn’t care about us anyway. She doesn’t even help defend her home, just stays locked up in her house. And she dares call herself a God."

"You think in a very dangerous way, my friend." Despite what he said, no one around reprimanded him, giving a silent agreement.

"EVERYONE, TO THE WALL!" A jarl called out at the men and the soldiers around him with a hard voice. They all looked at one another with cold eyes.

"No." The man sitting down said sharply as he pulled his sword out and approached the Jarl. "I’m not fighting anymore." His stomach growled every second as he took a step forward and those around looked at one another, eventually pulling their swords and following behind him.

"What do you think you are doing? This is an order!" The Jarl pulled his weapon as a few who followed him saw the commotion. They rallied behind him staring down the mutineers. The warrior and his friends all looked at one another giving silent nods to each other.

"Death to the false God." They all remembered Finn’s refusal, his stand against Helga, and the conviction he took to his grave. They had enough. To fight for someone who forced them to take part in numerous massacres, to defend her whilst they starved, to fight in a war that was already lost.

They reached a breaking point. Any faith they held before was gone, only resentment was left. The Jarl heard his words and those loyal to Helga came forward weapons drawn. "Traitors." The Jarls growled the words as he swung his sword, the warrior intercepting.

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"My lord." A black cloak knelt before Helga. "Mutines have been popping up all around. The attacking forces are close to breaking through due to it. We need you, my lord." The black cloak pleaded desperately as Helga stared at him with empty eyes.

"hmmm." She huffed loudly. "TYR!" Helga called out and from the corridor, the children’s guardian walking out. "Deal with the traitors outside." The man gave a single nod and pulled his large war axe out. Walking past his feet were heavy as he left the throne room. "Ketil," Helga spoke softly. "Tell the black cloaks to begin."

"Are you sure My lord?" Ketil asked with worry but Helga shot him a hard glare.

"Are you questioning me now Ketil?" He looked deep into her eye and saw an intense madness behind them. His spine stiffened as he robotically shook his head. Leaning onto the throne, she grabbed her eye that had a basic treatment done to it and sighed. "They are all undeserving Ketil. Ungrateful vermin who couldn’t see the light I wished to bring."

"As you wish my lord." Ketil walked off with the black cloak and alone Helga closed her eye. She heard the sound of a loud horn, followed by many more across Helstia. ’Why did everything go wrong? Why could no one just do what I say?’ Unknown to her Brede listened in the background from his room. The shout to Tyr caused him to peek outside his door and seeing the large guard gone he smiled.

Sneaking out, he grabbed a torch on the wall and went to Frida’s room. Letting himself in, he surprised the girl but quickly put his finger over his mouth and climbed out the window. Frida watched him vanish and her breathing went quicker.

The faces of the two babies appeared in her mind as she grabbed her hair. ’It’s what father would have done. It’s to get home.’ She told herself over and over, but each time she did the two faces reappeared in her mind.

Clenching her fists she took a deep breath and stood up. ’It’s not right.’ The conversation she had with Ivar resurfaced in her mind. A life controlled by the wishes of others. Always doing what those around her wanted. ’Force a change.’

His voice echoed in her mind as she grabbed the door handle. With a deep breath, she let herself out and ran to the children’s room. Letting herself in, she saw the ancient ones taking care of the children. Looking down at them she smiled, getting playful reactions from the two.

’Father won’t like this. Brede won’t like this.’ She hesitated as she reached out to grab them, but composed herself and carefully picked the two up in her arms. The Ancient Ones watched with strange eyes, but did nothing to stop her as Frida ran out of the room.

A new feeling rushed over her body as she walked into the throne room where Helga sat alone. A freeing feeling. For once, despite everything people told her, she moved for herself. It was calming. It felt right, and that was only reinforced by the weight of the children in her arms. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"My lord." Helga jumped as she spun to face Frida. Frida took a step back seeing the gruesome wound on her eye but quickly calmed herself. "The children aren’t safe," Frida said nervously as she began to regret her decision looking into Helga’s empty eye.

’No. They are innocent. Saving them is good.’ She told herself once more as Helga got up and walked before her. "What do you mean?" Helga asked coldly as she looked at her kids.

"I can’t explain we have no time. But people are coming. They have to get out of here." Frida tried to hand the children off, but Helga hesitated feeling her arm act up. Clicking her tongue, she turned and picked up her sword

"Come." Frida gulped at the order, not wishing to leave, but looking down the corridor and not knowing when Brede would be back with Rolf and the others she could only obey and quickly left with Helga, outside Ketil waited.

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Brede climbed back through the window and his eyes squinted seeing Frida was gone. He ran out, ignoring the following four as he searched the rooms nearby. Rolf, Gunnar, and the others went straight to the children’s room and threw the door open.

"BREDE!" Rolf screamed out as he cut down one of the Ancient Ones who remained. "I told you, Gunnar, not to trust him." Brede hearing the cry came in and saw the dead Ancient One alongside the seething Rolf.

Ignoring it he turned back. "FRIDA!" He cried out getting no response in the empty house. A small chuckle escaped the lips of the living Ancient One as the four looked at him.

Rolf was quick pinning him to a wall, placing his sword on his neck. "WHERE ARE THEY! WHERE IS THAT BITCH AND HER CHILDREN!" Rolf’s screams echoed as the Ancient One laughed even louder.

His sunken eyes looked deep into Rolf’s as his croaking laugh grew louder. "The children of God are gone." He laughed even louder after saying that as Rolf threw him to the ground. "All is the God’s will, and they sent their Valkyrie to save them."

Gunnar watched as Rolf’s breathing went rapid as the boy raised his sword. Bringing it down, he split the Ancient One’s head in two as he turned to Brede. "WHERE IS THAT WHORE YOU CAME WITH!" Rolf grabbed his shirt and pulled him in.

Brede threw him off. "Don’t talk to me like that boy."

"AWNSER ME!" Rolf screamed and Gunnar finally got between the two.

"Calm down Rolf." Turning to the old warrior his eyes were frosty. "Brede. What did she do?"

"That idiot." Brede’s annoyance was evident as he pulled his sword out. "You heard her last time. She didn’t want the children to die. Now she’s gone and done something stupid." Brede walked off, quickly being followed by the four. "Our deal is done."

"Rolf, think calmly, Helga couldn’t have gotten far." Gunnar moved quickly to the boy who looked ready to kill Brede. Taking a deep breath he nodded and the three ran to the main entrance and opened the doors.

"By the Gods."

Gunnar was shocked as he nearly took a step back, seeing Helstia. All around, small pillars of black smoke rose as the air felt warmer. "What’s happening? Have they breached the walls already? It’s been minutes." Rolf was equally shocked, the old warrior looking at the distant battle.

"No. Their not in yet." The five looked at the scene before them that seemed to signal the end of the world. It was small now, but with the amount of fires that had been started, it would be impossible to deal with.

"Did she burn her own home?" Gunnar was in disbelief as he looked around. The panicked cries of thousands overshadowed the war raging on.

"No. That’s crazy." The old warrior said but Rolf smirked. Brede was the only one who showed no reaction as he looked at the distant port.

"There is only one place she can go. Let’s move, we’re losing time." His voice was calm as he spoke, leading the charge down the hill.

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"THEIR RETREATING! PUSH MEN!" Astrom called out as he climbed the ladder on the walls, behind him Leif followed. He sniffed the air, an intense burning smell overwhelming his senses. Atop the wall, he joined the breach that formed and looked down at Helstia.

Inside the walls, he could see large groups of men fighting one another, as others desperately tried to put out raging fires. Panic and chaos were the only ways to describe inside.

"Endar Tímar." Astrom quietly muttered the words he had been told by an Ancient One when he visited them, before taking the throne. The visions of the battle that took place between the Gods during their Age, were brother slaying brother, daughters killing fathers, and husbands butchering wives. At that time he thought it was the way he should become King, but seeing the battle a new thought emerged.

Those visions overlapped with the scene before him as he stared with a wide smile. "Maybe she is a God Leif," Astrom said in amazement at the sight. "She can even prepare such a beautiful sight, to resemble our glories past."

Leif chuckled as he pulled his axe out. "She’s just crazy." Leif exhaled in disbelief seeing Helstia. The fires that raged were clearly caused by someone on purpose. They were in areas that would allow it to spread quickly. The sight of the people trying to put it out also showed that most of the defenders didn’t cause it themselves.

"I must apologize to Torsten." Astrom pulled his claymore and walked out, ready to move to the ground, "Making your enemy desperate can create something beautiful sometimes." Leif wondered if Astrom was about to cry looking at it as he followed behind.