Cloud of Fire

His nostrils flared as they drew in the bitter cold, the branches whirled and the leaves spun under the cracking thunder above. Aetri's dark eye caught in between the trees, smoke rising high... In Uld's valley shore! "Faster, Mystie, Move your ass!" He growled to his horse, streaking like a lightning bolt, making ungodly ground. meanwhile, the rain fell violently to the earth, Seven Saints, the sky above roared with wrath, but not nearly as much wrath as was inside of Aetri then.

A streak of fierce fury sparked inside of him, making him feel light, carelessly bloodthirsty, something was definitely wrong.

Over Wahjalla Hill the two of them bolted, over the dry ice cliffs that were stained with rain. Aetri grunted, Mystery skidding to a stop at the lip of Wuldvik "Watcher's Tower" roughly translated, where the old watchers would cast their eyes down on the city, where the god's of Norne would-be audience to their joy and battles.

It was all a distant dream now, thick vessels of bellowing smoke, dark as pitch and ever more furious, at its heart, vicious flames ate at many of the thatched houses, and consumed the once beautiful shielded body... of Valhal.

Lee pulled away her mask, revealing her face, so twisted with pain and grief that her eyes bulged. Aetri looked on with a dark frown, unable to move... the smell was in the air, the same smell as that night... and the Lodge.

The entire Lodge, his home for nearly a decade... tarnished as its humungous body was devoured by flames, spread by Raiders in cloaks of bearskin.

"Goodbye..." Aetri whispered, watching the foundation go up in embers as it all collapsed "Thank you, for everything,"

His Mentor's face wrinkled, her eyes blazing in the mirror of the flames bellow, Hell boiled in her chest. "I will tear every gullet, from every man, as I saw his bones and grind it into my shit-bucket, in the furthest, hottest reaches of Hell!"

He reached out a silencing hand, the fury still whirled in his eyes "We must do this the proper way. Shadows never die."

It was still right in the back of her mind, that night when they had first met... Shadows never die indeed. Lee focused quickly, becoming dark and furious "Yes, By the book, quick and clean on my mark." Her head turned to the woods beside them. "Akira, 聞いてるか？ (Are you with me?)"

From those shrouded woods, trotted a dark figure on a light bay. A dark shadow, cloaked in Crow feathers, each long frill painting her like a shadow. The Face was smooth and silver, gleaming like a star, focusing to the eye: Her crow's mask, made of star metal.

Aetri nodded, he had not seen her in her full armour for a very long time.

"To War," Crow whispered, drawing her curved black clade and beckoning them all towards the chaos below.

Bolting down the hill, three shadows raced through the underbrush, dismounting and hitching their horses out of the treeline. The battle raged in the streets, Uld warriors, time-honed raiders, clashing against the wild Skjal forces all the way down to the coast of the lake.

Golden knots of braided hair whipped in the battlefield, screams of war, great feats of skill and terrible bloodshed, the Uld were holding strong. Amidst the Smoking wake of Valhal, was a girl dressed in a great mantle of fur and feathers, screaming as she embedded her spear into the throat of a Skjal man, vanquishing foe after foe, roaring as her round shield, decorated with a millennium of her ancestors bashed into the skulls of all who opposed her.

Jarl Frigga and her forces crushed the Skjal, there was no draw to be had, a complete victory. "ULLLD!" Frigga lifted her axe amongst the pile of corpses, her men roared in response as tears fell down her cheeks, looking at the ashen ruin of their storied drinking hall. Where many had been married, every member had been inducted into manhood in those mahogany walls. Some had even been born there.

"Our beautiful Valhal... its walls are ruins, our gallows turned to ash. But we are of the Raven, and it is by Grimnir's grace that we spill this blood, we will have our vengeance, and rebuild Valhal with the bones of our enemies!"

The Uld Warriors, dressed in loose furs and thick leather plates, shouted in honour of Valhal.

"FOR ULD! FOR VALHAL!" Fierce-Uld Frigga deserved her name. She led the Uld forced through the village pushing back from the outer gates, bulling the Skjal back towards the river-shore.

The Shadows weaved throughout the buildings unseen, although one was violently disturbed. The Thatch houses cracked with roaring flames, devouring and growing, red and furious. At first, he just felt a little warm, but it was not long until his hands were trembling, beads of sweat began to fall from his forehead. Something writhed in his stomach, clouded his mind, this was pure terror, as the crackling of the flames began to turn into screams, the screams from that night.

A great flaming beam, glowing with embers and wrought in hideous fire, fell into one of the back alleys, where the donkeys in their shitty stables screamed as it flew at them, and by extension, Aetri and the others.

His sheath whipped as Aetri slid like a snake out of the scope of the flaming beam, his back hitting painfully against the solid wall. It was a struggle to breathe, shadows and fear crept down his spine, the flames dizzied him and filled his soul with panic.

Soft hands touched his cheeks, delicate and careful. Her mask was slid up, to reveal two dark orbs only centimetres from him, looking with a cold understanding.

He gulped, arms quaking "The Fire..."

"I know." Black-crow nodded "You must persist, close your heart to it, do not see it or smell it, focus on the swordplay." Her voice was clear, concise, motivating.

Frigga towered above her marks, tearing them limb from limb, killing, sacrificing, all in One-Eye's name. the Jarl and her brethren tore towards the shore, the township reestablishing buildings and snuffing out the flames.

The Uld had survived for thousands of years, and a Mountain of Ice doesn't melt so easily.

"VALHAAAALL!!!" She hoisted up a bloody axe, her body coated in the guts and blood of her foes.

The Raiders had cut a bloody path to the inner gate, towards the Lake of Frey and screamed their mourning to their lost, beautiful Valhal.

"We will push to the shore of Frey, Raider Tyrg demands it!" two bloody axes dripped blood from each of Tyrg's wicked wrath.

But Frigg kept her senses where the New Generation could not, She rested a hand on her brother and drew in close "Where is Aetri?" She whispered.

Tyrg's eyes darkened "He must be dead by now, Friggi."

The Jarl wouldn't hear nonsense like that "It is different, He is alive. The Britton-scum are stronger in core legions, we must wait for our brothers and sisters to regroup here." This advice could mean life or death, Frigg was jarl, but none could stop a berserker's blaze. She had to implore.

Tyrg growled like a beast, his warpaints shrouding him in crimson wrath, along with his brethren behind him, who snarled like wolves. "We will wait no longer than it takes to finish building the blockade here. then we will taste Britton blood." He fiercely proclaimed.

His sister smiled "That's all we need." Her hand raised to the crowd of bloody warriors, man, woman and adolescent all "BLOCKADE, BOX THESE STUPID CUNTS IN!" The Jarl's word roared in Norne, her followers carrying out her orders swiftly.

That was before she heard a whistle in the wind, as shadows, three of them, appeared from the shadows, cloaked in black and plated steel, their blades like shadows drawn to announce themselves before the legion of knights, a dozen strong.

Aetri drew in a sharp breath, there had to be 15 maybe twenty fully armed men here, they had defences all the way to the shore-ditch. He'd have to murder them all. Grimstorm's blade raised high, its blade catching the light in its silver hue. The Briton men-at-arms paused as Aetri stared at them darkly "Baldwin, Your leader, bring him to me." Aetri saw the look in their eyes through their steel visors.

From the crowd of knights, came a man, tall but thin, he was definitely not Baldwin. "Sir Baldwin awaits you at the shore of this river. He means to capture you, But I, Sir Godrey of Shawmoot thinks differently."

Lee stifled a chuckle, Crow remained silent, but Aetri stood down and turned his head to examine his prey _"So this will be the first man I kill in true battle." _The thought was intoxicating.

"So some jumped up Unlorded knight from a backwater Marshland shithole thinks he can break treaties thousands of years old and get away with it? I am Uld now, this loose orchestration of pacifism means nothing. I know you rallied the Skjal to attack the Uld so that The Crown could not be implemented in this-" Aetri was no fool, he'd realised the moment he galloped into Skjal, it was all Briton-games. He didn't miss them.

"-This, Aetri, the Nameless, is all for you. We know who you are..."

"No..."

"We know why you are here..."

"It's all over."

"We have come to take you home. and though Sir Baldwin has pulled us up through the gutter, my men are of the opinion that dicing you up a little before delivery is perfectly acceptable."

The Three shadows stood strong and held as one "I'm going to enjoy this." Aetri growled as the Legion drew their blades.

"I've always wanted to carve up a Black Legionary." One of the men growled, gazing at the powerful form of Lee, her plates making her a fortress of death.

"By the bloody grim, we really, really are going to enjoy this." Lee raised her curved sword, and grasped her heavy club, each huge in her hands and handled with ease, as she roared into battle "FOR THE LODGE, SHADOWS NEVER DIE!"

"Shadows never die..." Crow mimicked, vanishing like a ghost of feathers into the legion.

With Aetri to follow.

Raising his blade, and entuning his focus into the listening breath, the battle opened up to Aetri and all became clear. Slithering between the forces, Aetri lept through the crowd kicking on Steel pouldrons where he loomed above, Looming of 'Sir Godfrey of Shawmoot' the man's eyes only able to widen as the shadow was thrust upon him.

The Blade slipped into his flesh, Grimstorm's freshly sharp edge made no sound as it cut through the man's throat, where he had forgotten to protect himself, with links of chain or a gorget. Sir Godfrey made no sound, just a gurgled spit as he slipped free and into the dirt, cold and dead.

The First of thousands dead. A speck of what is to come.

Aetri screamed with delight, his blade whipping around the shocked Knights, and with a silent glee, proceeded to cut down man after man, slicing at legs, twisting dexterously and cleaving free a knight of his arm, it was all here, every step of his training, every swing of the sword against those trees. "Before I was helpless, a child in a nightmare. But Lee and crow, have twisted me, into the bigger Nightmare."

Blood sprayed amidst the furious rain-fall, the sky flashed as blades clashed below. These men were taught to face men in battle... Aetri was not, the things that laid in their graves at the height of his ambitions were beyond that of man, and today would be the day to test all of those hard years.

"ARUG!" The Death cry of a man run through the soft of his collarbone, Grimstorm sticking out of his throat as Aetri came upon another man with a dagger, slashing his throat. A rining as the world snapped violently, a hard gauntlet had collided with Aetri's head, spinning his world. But he was not alone.

Spinning in, the three men that sprinted at Aetri we cut clean at the stomachs, a perfect arc from a tall figure, in her armour of Iron. Lee roared like a beast, possessed by battle, her boot sent a man flying, her club caving in a breastplate the next as she screamed "Keep your fucking eyes, open boy!"

A hand snatched Aetri, making him jolt as Silver blonde hair whipped at his face. Rubbing his eyes as He was dragged up, The Young Warrior opened his eyes and saw sapphires "Frigg... You need to go back, this is our fight."

"-Yeah, well you're losing, and I will not stand by as family, falls." Her axe was at the ready.

"I suppose I wouldn't mind shedding blood with Fehu once and a while." Tyrg and his New Generations, the berserkers stood beside him in the snow.

Aetri smiled, bowing deeply "Take these invaders to Hel, Uld-brothers, Uld-Sisters. And if you see something like a Nightmare, leave it to me. FOR VALHAL!"

"FOR VALHAL!!!!" The Screamed, rushing to destroy the enemies forces.

Black-Crow was unlike anything the Uld had ever seen, The Knight screamed in terror, picked off one by one, with the sword, and Kursarigama alike. The Shadow had drawn them to the ruined houses by the streets where the battle roared. Luring them into traps, sticking Kunai in their throats, lynching their bodies high; the ultimate Sky-burial.

Lee-fu roared as she cut down her enemies, slicing off heads clean and crushing kneecaps with her heavy kanabō, a weapon not meant to be used one-handed.

The Knights were thinned in number as thunder roared, Aetri took life afterlife, destroying man after man in open conquest to kill them all. Something was growing inside Aetri, something very unnatural, it was more than anger, furious and raging, the thing inside him was a storm. His senses were dulled, all he could see was red as He mercilessly cleaved his enemy into the flesh of his shoulder.

"OI OI Lad!" Aetri was shaken by a nudge as an arrow flew past his ear, shot by scouts swarming from the river... Skjal Spies. Red-Knot lock clutched his greatsword and patted Aetri's back "Keep a hold of ye head, Aetri. We may need it."

He was right, there was still way too many of them. their forms flooded up the hill path from their camp at the shore.

Aetri shook with the anger from his head, massaged it out of his limbs "Reinforcement, all men retreat! get back to the blockade!" He roared.

The Uld Paused, finishing off the remaining knights as they gazed at the tsunami of Skjal running at them. Lok yowled "SECOND WAVE, PULL BACK!"

Most of the Berserker's obeyed, only... a few did not "DIE YOU FUCKING, BASTARDS!" Tyrg continued on the charge, tearing the men he found in front of him apart.

"Tyrg!" Frigga roared.

"We need to retreat, princess," Lee growled from her demonic visor. But Frigga pulled back.

"I will not leave that idiot behind." Rushing out from Lee's arms, The General snarled.

"You're going to die if you go back there!" Lee's warning was on deaf ears.

Aetri knocked the plate on her arm as he dashed by "I'll get them back, make sure everyone is safe."

Lee threw her arms up "What's the point of being a General if nobody is going to listen to me!?"

The air was cold, static brushed on Aetri's scarf as He dashed towards the fighting, rain made it colder... not that He could feel it, all He felt was chill in the wind, all of this focus... but it would be for nothing.

Skjal in light armour clashed with Frigg who yelled at Tyg, trying to drag him away from the bloodshed. Aetri spun in, cutting into the Scouts as He clutched Tyrg's arms and cast him back "What the Fuck are you doing, get the hel out of here!!"

Tyrg seemed to come to his senses shuffling back with his eyes wide. Frigg too seemed amazed... and filled with horror. Aetri's senses ached deeply, as the sound struck terror into his chest, something crawling, batting widely, the smell, How could he ever escape that accursed smell. A shadow was cast in the air, mixed with dead leaves, black smoke and flames.

Aetri was frozen, it was right behind him. Slowly He turned and laid his eyes upon its huge, bestial body. The beast trilled, it was larger and greater than a carriage, covered in smooth scales. The Bird-like legs kicked, sending dirt flying above, its mindless yellow eyes staring, the beak of its constantly twitching head.

A cold chill shot up Aetri's spine, even as the heat of its feathers flicked embers into the rainy air. A clicking chirp that boomed from its beak rustled the mane of black feathers along the fiery beast's crooked neck, and just as Aetri stirred from his shock turning to the others, the beast roared with a deafening cry that filled the entire village. And filled Aetri with a primal panic.

"GET DOWN-" But the Young Warrior with no name was cut off as the Huge winged beast, bathed every soul before it, in a massive cloak of fire, spat from its toothy beak.

The World went up in smoke, He heard the wrath of the roaring flame, and the sound of screams, the smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils, every inch of his sight blocked out by the cloud of Fire.