Rolf jumped through the fire and swung his sword down on Ketil. The man raised his axe and intercepted, looking deep into Rolf’s eyes with contempt. "Knut’s son." He chuckled lightly pushing Rolf away as he saw the rest jump through the fire. He back up again, watching them, bouncing the axe in his hand.

Ketils mind spun quickly as he tried to think. Seeing them approaching him he swung randomly in massive arcs keeping them away. ’This is not good at all.’ Rolf charged forward, ignoring Ketils frantic swings. He tried to run through but was stopped nearly being cut in half.

Gunnar clicked his tongue. "He’s not looking to win, only buy time." He saw it instantly by the way Ketil fought. The man was famous for being a force of nature when he fought, but even he had his limits and to win when the odds were stacked so heavily against him was a tall order.

The old warrior looked at Gunnar and nodded. "I’ll create an opening."

"You’ll die," Gunnar said as a matter of fact with the old warrior smirking.

"You should understand how it feels to watch all your brothers and comrades die whilst being the only one to survive Gunnar. I just want to join them in Uppsala now, and if I can die in a way that gets us closer to finishing the job, so be it."

"I’ll help." The young warrior who came with them said with a deep smile.

"I’ll see you two when it’s my time." Gunnar didn’t try stopping them. He understood that the two had enough by now. He could only go on because it was his job to look after Rolf. And Rolf could because he had long been consumed by rage and madness.

The two, however, had seen all their friends die by now. They had long lost the drive that they had at the start of the campaign and only wished for death. "Come boy." The Old warrior ordered before a hearty laugh escaped his lips as he charged in. The younger one followed close behind and Ketil was forced to focus on their arrival.

Swinging his axe in axe in a large arc, he impaled into the side of the younger warrior, blood exploding out of his body. The old warrior didn’t hesitate at the opportunity. He closed the distance between the two and stabbed forward. Ketil didn’t lose focus despite everything and let his swing carry on, despite the corpse on it. It was slower, but enough to knock the old warriors’ attack off course.

His sword slipped through past, lightly cutting Ketils arm. Ketil smirked as he threw the body off his axe, but the old warrior didn’t care. ’I’ve done my part, Gunnar.’ The old warrior tried one more attack, but Ketil reacted quickly, hitting him in the face with the handle, before impaling his chest.

Gunnar, Rolf, and Brede watched with grime eyes, but they didn’t waste the sacrifice. Rolf was the first to move. He struck forward, and Ketil reacted the only way he could. Moving his axe, he let Rolf stab through the old warrior. It caused the air to escape his mouth as his vision darkened.

Gunnar was next, the opening on Ketil’s left was obvious, with him distracted by Rolf. He moved faster than a man of his age should, and stabbed into Ketil’s stomach. "Ahhhhhhh!" A pained cry escaped his lips as he watched everything around him.

He saw Brede close in, trying to give the executioners a blow. He felt his body move on instinct as he lifted his axe, to use the bottom of its handle to deflect the blow. The weight behind the attack, caused him to stumble as he felt the pressure on his wound increase. His knee fell, but using the strength he had, he pushed up, forcing Brede’s sword away.

His breathing became heavy, and Ketil knew it was impossible to truly fight. Looking up he saw Rolf standing over him, with his sword, raised. Ketil closed his eyes for a second hundreds of thoughts running through his mind. The world seemed to slow for him as he realized his situation.

Opening his eyes he pounced, a scream coming from his mouth as his wound became large. His action caught Rolf by surprise, who was quickly grabbed by the waist. Ketil lifted as best as he could and whilst it would have been easy to throw the boy over his shoulder before, he could only muster the strength to hover him.

He ran with all his might towards a burning house. he couldn’t throw Rolf, he didn’t have the strength so he did the next best thing. Ketil lowered his head as Rolf desperately beat his back, trying to break free, but in moments a searing heat spread on his back. The wall already weakened by the burning fire quickly broke under the weight of the two as Rolf and Ketil fell into the raging fire.

"I will finish what we couldn’t before," Ketil said with a wide smile as he placed his hands on Rolf’s throat. Rolf couldn’t breathe as Ketil tightened his grip. The searing pain was intense as his back was roasted but the overwhelming desire to not die kicked in. His eyes darted and looking around he saw a small wooden plank, burning.

Rolf didn’t hesitate and picked it up, he wanted to scream in agony as the skin on his hand melted. Stabbing it deep into the wound in Ketil’s stomach, a primal scream echoed out. Rolf dug it as deep as he could, and Ketil grabbed his stomach, forgetting Rolf’s existence.

"Ahhhhhh." Rolf’s screams soon joined along with Ketil’s as his own.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Rolf screamed in agony as he fought to push Ketil off himself. The fire quickly spread into his hair, looking like a human torch. "I CAN’T DIE! AHHH! GUNNAR! I CAN’T DIE!" His eyes spun madly as the pain overwhelmed everything. He cried out like a young boy for the only man he could.

Gunnar had already run into the fire and hearing Rolf’s screams he acted quickly. He saw Ketil’s who screamed desperately trying to rip the wooden plank out his stomach and threw him off, Rolf. Grabbing the boy, he picked him up and dashed out of the house. Ketil’s high-pitched screams only remained inside.

"MY LORDDDD! SAVE ME! AHHHHHHHHHHH! SAVE ME!" His desperate plea fell on deaf ears as he felt he burned alive. His screams of agony were terrifying to Gunnar, imagining them as the cries of the Underworld.

Gunnar threw his cloak over Rolf’s body desperately trying to kill the fire. Rolf’s screams had died down outside the fire, but they still were deafening. Gunnar watched intensely and seeing the flames gone he pulled his cloak away, covering his mouth seeing what remained of Rolf.

Half his hair was gone, the rest burnt a deep black. His skin was a blistered red and black mess and his face lost any resemblance to the man he was before. Despite that Gunnar could see the undying, unrelenting desire for revenge that burned deep in his eyes. His fury and rage only fueled by his survival in the fire.

"I WILL KILL HER!" Gunnar didn’t know how it was possible, as Rolf pushed himself up. His hands and body shook uncontrollably from the immense pain he was in, but Rolf didn’t seem to care, only wishing to kill the one who ruined his life. "I WILL KILL HER!" He kept repeating the words, unable to say anything else, fighting to not scream and collapse.

"Oh Hakon," Gunnar muttered quietly as he saw Rolf drag his body, slowly the way Helga went. He quickly snapped out of it and looked around, finally noticing Brede’s disappearance.

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Helga looked at the port, all her black cloaks securing a premiere around it. Civilians desperately tried to get on, only to be cut down if getting too close, as soldiers fought to help. Loyalists moved to help the Black Cloaks and an intense melee was happening.

Helga narrowed her eye as she ran forward, with only one goal in mind. Frida gulped seeing everything as she followed closely behind. She was tired from the endless running but, she knew that stopping now would secure her death.

"ATTACK!" A cry came from the far East as Helga looked seeing Astrom’s army charge into the fighting men. A three-way brawl ensued as Helga lifted her hood, hiding her identity. Her presence in the chaos went unnoticed as she slid through like a snake, Frida following her footsteps.

Reaching the port a Black cloak lifted his axe, but quickly pulling her hood down he froze and let her through alongside Frida. "EVERYONE PREPARE TO LEAVE!" The Black cloak screamed to his comrades as he boarded the boat. The others hearing the command knew only one reason why that would be given and smiled.

"Have things be prepared?" Helga asked getting a nod from the commander.

"Any food we could find is onboard aswell as a quarter for you and the children." Helga nodded as she looked at Helstia. It had long become a large fireball, nothing seemingly free from the flame’s touch.

The site caused immense joy to spread throughout Helga’s body as she watched the destruction of the place she called home. It made her happy knowing, that it would be gone when she was. It made her happy knowing that all those who betrayed her would burn with Helstia. Everything about it made her happy.

Frida felt a small tear roll down her cheek as she watched alongside Helga. How many died, innocent or not? She looked at the small children in her hands and smiled knowing at least they survived.

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Rold walked out to the port, his labored breathing evident from how tired he was. Gunnar walked alongside him and saw Brede standing there looking at the boat that was about to depart.

"Where is she?" He asked and Brede clicked his tongue.

"We were too late?" Brede said annoyed as he watched and Rolf finally collapsed from his words.

Tears fell from his eyes. "HELGAAAAA!" He screamed out destroying the atmosphere on the battlefield. Some looked up towards him seeing the burnt man scream in anger. "I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL! THE ENDS OF THE WORLD WILL NOT SAVE YOU!" Gunnar grabbed his shoulder, and Rolf threw him off trying to stand.

His legs gave out and he fell forward. Looking at the leaving boat he could see the golden hair that ruined his life. "Ahhhh!" A low moan full of pain escaped his mouth as Rolf watched. All the pain he had been suppressing finally hit him as he fell into despair, knowing he would never get his revenge.

’I’m sorry father. Mother. Brothers. Sisters.’ "AHHHHHHHH!" He finally screamed in pure agony. Gunnar watched and his heart broke slightly. Brede felt the sma feeling the immense pain and sorrow in Rolf. Looking at Gunnar he pulled a small dagger out.

Gunnar looked at him, before looking down at the boy who screamed in pain. His eyes watered as he gave one slow nod. Brede didn’t hesitate and stabbed it through Rolf’s back, where his heart would be. "I’m, sorry Knut. I failed." He said quietly to his dead liege as his son took his last breaths.

"Thank you." Gunnar tapped Brede’s arm before picking up Rolf’s body and walking off. The man didn’t need to ask what the thanks were for and took a final look at Frida before following behind.

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Helga watched Helstia shrink as the boat slowly took off. Her eye was no longer empty as she watched, happy with the outcome. Turning to face the open sea she smiled. The memories of the only one who looked like her entered her mind as she felt excited to finally see him again, to rekindle the feelings they had for each other.