War and saviours.

“If I am right there should be a village or tribe East from here!” Artemis stated pointing at the tracks and nodding I took the lead sending Khutulun and Wilkin to scout on ahead with us bringing up the rear, “James, Artemis is right there is a village ahead but it has been attacked” “By?” “Just another village, they are really in trouble!” “We shouldn’t get involved James!” “Let’s head over there and survey the situation! Then decide!” “Okay, let’s just not march in like other times!” I nodded before following them forward stopped to see the conflict, one side was full of men attacking and the other side trying to desperately protect the villagers and a woman slicing her way through three Viking men threw her shield into the next before impaling them. We watched as another woman younger than her swung her sword and stabbing two more whilst a third spoke in between fighting, “Gods of Norse, Gods of Greece or Gods of Rome please help us, if not us but the civilians, who are being slaughtered for no reason!” she killed another before looking up grabbing her bleeding face, “Please help us!” I looked at Artemis who nodded and firing several arrows glowing as they penetrated the armour and leaping down to the ground started to kill the guards slicing through their bodies and seeing the others joined threw my sword directly at another warrior, “Eva, Athena get them to safety. Tormund time to do your thing!” he bellowed before slamming his club against a warriors throat I jumped at a bleeding enemy and drank his blood before ripping his throat out and launching myself at another pulled at his neck before retrieving my sword attacked the next snapping his throat and seeing the woman who prayed earlier she thanked, “Thank you, thank you!” “Never mind that, keep fighting!” she killed the next and leaping up I slammed my sword into the ground causing the ground to crack and suck them into the hole.

The blood trickled from my lips as I turned around to see the remaining the soldiers left and looking over to Ygritte who threw a rag over to me spat, “Clean up your face!” I looked down into my shield and removing the pieces of blood, I heard the woman who prayed hesitantly ask, “Who are you?” “Your God! I am James I suppose of Elysium, I am the son of Thánatos II and great grandson of Hades and Persephone, mother’s side great great grandson of Aphrodite and Ares, she is Artemis!” “It appears he Greeks answered!” the oldest spoke and looking down at the falling children cried, “Torvi get the others on the ships!” she nodded and seeing the tears in the woman’s eyes I signalled for the others two give her some room, “Someone you know?” “My children!” “I...I’m sorry!” “Doesn’t matter now, nothing I can do apart for slaughtered the murderers who fled!” I nodded before growling spoke, “What about the ship?” and seeing the ship leave, leaving only the three women standing there, “I was the queen of this land, I have sent them to my cousins but I can’t join them or my sisters because it is seen by their council as a invasion and makes us a threat, the deal was they would go and we would stay, thing is there is nothing left for us!” “We are looking for a Draugar seen it? Also a troll king!” “I may have but it is none of my concern!” “How about a deal, I have seen you all fight, you can hold your own easily!” “We are Shieldmaidens we are as strong, tough and ruthless as the men. Don’t give me this story of I have seen you fight. What do you want?” “You have nowhere to go, we have a camp. You help us and we help you, you help us hunt these two creatures and army down and we will slay the murderers by your side, then you could stay with us for as long as you want or permanently! Or at least come back to us to get your sister patched up!” she looked at her and nodding spoke, “We will come back with you but won’t the blood effect you...whatever you are?” “I am a god who freed the original Dearg Due and took her curse! But don’t worry I am full at least for now! Ygritte helps me calm the bloodlust inside!” she nodded taking my arm spoke, “Let’s go then!”

“It’s nice in here!” she spoke and hearing Torvi refer to her as Lagertha I stated, “Yes Lagertha, it’s quiet, right as you I am James, the blonde woman there is Athena, bearded fool is Tormund, dark haired woman is Eva she has the ship, long haired man is Wilkin and next to him is his “friend” Khutulun. You know Artemis, muscular blonde is Saxa and the redheaded fire cracker is Ygritte!” “I hope we won’t be a hindrance, I am Lagertha, the wounded one is Þórunn and that’s Torvi!” stating to the woman rushing back, “Lagertha...you seen what’s in there? A spring, a hot spring. I’m going in first!” she barked and looking over to Þórunn I stated, “Artemis...” she nodded and crouching didn’t to treat the wound I stated, “We will just have to rearrange the arrangements a bit” “We could literally sleep by the fire; it’s warm, dry and well protected!” “Þórunn is wounded; We have four tents, You and your sisters have one. Wilkin and Tormund have one, Artemis, Athena and Khutulun have one and Ygritte, Saxa and Eva have the final one. I don’t need one because I don’t sleep” she nodded before sitting next to me ignoring my protests and instead just smirked, “You shouldn’t sit so close!” She ignored the warning before saying, “Where we come from we don’t fear the unknowns instead explore them, so you are looking for a Draugar? What’s it protecting?” “Hopefully a cure, that is what’s foretold but I fear this cure will help me be free from this curse to be stuck with another. Three creatures left then my task and our work is done!” “And what do they all get?” “Generally it’s legends, treated as Demi-Gods and a place among the other gods, individually it varies... Tormund he will get to see Brienne again, Wilkin his wife, Ygritte freedom from torment, Artemis freedom from obligations, Saxa well she never actually said, Eva is just “here for the fun” and Athena she is will be free from political strain and love” “And you what about you?” “I don’t know, I did this to get away from the pain but when this is done where to go I next? What is my purpose? And will I be allowed back with the curse?” “You did their work so it’s the least they could do!” “What will you do after? You in your young age must have a lot of ideas!” “Young? I am 40” “Bullshit, early 30’s!” “No 40, Torvi is 36 and Þórunn is 28” “Well I was off, I thought Torvi was 26ish and Þórunn was 19”’ Athena and Ygritte snarled causing Lagertha to smirk, “James, James, James what would they say? Flirting with me?” “I wish I was but I generally thought you were!” she laughed and feeling a the burning hunger again I snapped, “Stay away, stay away!” “Why?” “I am soo thirsty, it’s worse than before!” Ygritte pusher past her and looking at her sister grabbed her bow, “I think it’s wise!” and whispering something to Artemis she smiled before grabbing her bow, “I live for the hunt!”

An few hours later and taking a forced breath saw Lagertha return with her sister and Artemis and checking on Þórunn dropped an elk at my feet, “As a thank you me and my sister got you fresh meat and blood for you!” I smiled before nodding immediately started to feast with all by Lagertha looking away, “hopefully this will help!” “More than you think!” I muttered in between mouthfuls and finishing the first drank the second and the third, “Thank you!” Lagertha smiled before saying, “Food then bed, I think; we will be busy in the morning! Who’s on watch?” “Me for the obvious reasons, Saxa will you do the hour watch after?” she nodded and telling them the sisters of the whole story about me they raised the question about their gods and how it is the Greeks who answer, they revealed to me the truth about her family and the event; they were involved in some internal conflict, her choice of husband was risky and worked for a time and how the clan leader who attacked them didn’t take rejection well even though it has been 20 years, even Tormund grew annoyed at the fact children were killed, he understood why it’s war and you can’t risk them rising up years later and it’s a ruthless statement but it didn’t mean he liked it. Nevertheless it had happened and Lagertha acted different to her sisters who also lost their family she instead sat there listening intrigued by everything and understood my arrangement with Artemis she even smiled and asked questions more than the others this in turn made Athena jealous again but Lagertha shaking her head at the woman returned to listening to my story and finishing she spoke, “I promise! You kill those bastards and I will do everything I can to free you and achieve your aims and for the record of this Athena has a problem defying daddy then I will willingly knock some sense into her, I hope she is listening because cursing you for jealously just shows how much of a little girl she is and she can hide behind the idea of being “the goddess of wisdom” but being wise means you don’t get jealous, you hear me Vamr? I hope so!”

“Over there!” I grunted crouching down and looking at Lagertha I snapped, “The men only!” “But?” “Killing everyone makes you no different to you, killing the children and women brings you what? You have no village or tribal kingdom left it’s just you three what does slaughtering everyone bring? A lot don’t even know what happened!” “Fine but the leader dies two, he must have ordered it for it to have happened in the first place!” “Right I will create a distraction, Artemis and the three sisters take their targets out and the others be prepared for them to charge, just in case!” they nodded and walking down from the slope watched as they got into position I headed towards to the village.

I grabbed a horn and blowing it to make everyone stop in their tasks stared at them watching them stop and study me, “So which one of you has been murdering children...” “What’s it to you?” “Well I am currently sleeping with three sisters who can’t stand the sight of you...” “They survived!?! And you came to us thinking what?” “Well first of all I am going to rip your throats out then I am going to impale the other men here for revenge!” they rushed for their weapons but firing quick arrow shots towards them and seeing the other men rush for their equipment they were met by other arrow fire and attacking from the others, “You get the women and children in doors!” I snapped to the native woman of the tribe and hurriedly getting them in doors within the panic I cut down the next man, “Age?” “16” “Get in doors!” “You?” “17” “In doors” “You?” “19!” and firing an arrow through his chest I snapped, “Now bring out those bastards who killed the children!” I looked behind me as a man bearing an axe charged towards me and ducking his strikes impaled him on my sword and looking on saw the panic and chaos that had been caused throughout the village and smelling the blood put my sword away and rushed to the men bleeding and commenced to drink from their necks.

The men fell leaving only fifteen who were between 18 and 30 and looking seeing the leader be dragged out I nodded to Tormund who clubbed him to death with Lagertha joining in and seeing the girl cowering behind a table I spoke, “What’s your name?” “Andriana” “meaning fearless and brave! Come let’s find your mother!” I picked her up and carrying her in my arm she looked around seeing the body’s, “So much death!” “Revenge never helps anyone as Nemesis once Ella me, I should know she is my relative and the goddess of retribution and revenge, now where is she?” “Andriana, please not her!” Lagertha grabbed her hair and looking at me snapped, “The Queen!” I shook my head before snapping, “Lagertha leave her! We killed the men who killed yours and the other children, show mercy and she will remember this! As Queen she can ensure it never happens again!” I put Andriana down and looking over to the Queen spoke, “We show mercy to the children in hope your tribe never harm another child and to remember of all Lagertha’s children and others who were put to the sword!” “I didn’t know!” “Now you do!” I looked at Tormund who carrying food on his back with other resources Saxa spoke, “We have another three tents worth of equipment!” “Good we no longer need to share!” and wrapping my arm around Lagertha whispered, “I’m sorry!” we returned back to the cave and dropping our weapons to the side I took my armour off and slumped down against the side of my tent looked over to Lagertha and looking down not able to look in my direction spoke, "I know what you are thinking but an eye for eye, I lost my children so she should have lost hers!" "You and Ares would get on well!" "And that's why no one likes him!" Artemis stated causing me to say, "I do...he just has a bad temper and doesn't value life like he should! I hate seeing children suffering, I think I get it from my father, he would tell me of what the people did in the seven kingdoms the day Daenerys burnt a whole chapel full of children just to punish the parents for disobeying her, it's why he liked Cersei when it came to children he saw a different side to her and with that he fell for her. You were one move away from me ripping your throat and draining you of all your blood!" "And you think your better than me for it!" "I do not and I am aware of it, my family's are monsters who live in the dark and hide in the underworld, we don't claim to be good but we try to be and sometimes it means we lose everything but it doesn't mean we don't keep trying...I suppose that is what happened to the previous me, he put his heart on his hands for all to see and Athena crushed it; I won't make the same mistake!" I looked over to Artemis who nodding spoke, "And by the look of it Athena betrayed you further with the curse!" "I don't even know who to trust gods-wise anymore but I apparently have never been a good in my judgement of people" Tormund nodded before stating, "You aren't the only one, I trusted Jon; you could say my best friend and he exiled me for raising concerns against Daenerys and I was right, but nothing!" "My father killed them both!" "I suppose he was right in his actions!" "Yes but some say not the motives...like is a pregnant Cersei a better option, okay it was with me in her womb but what am I? a man whose brain eight maybe ten times slower than the other gods!" Artemis went to speak but Tormund stated warmly, "You are kicking ass and cleaning up shit! You are probably the most badass person I have ever seen and unlike those pansy's up there you get shit done, you look up to their lifestyles wanting a portion of what they have and they look down at you not realising that they are weak in their laziness!" "Plus you are hot for being dead!" Saxa butted in causing us to laugh as I spoke, "Enough of that we need to look forward...Three new tents meaning we are now up to seven. Wilkin and Khutulun for obvious reasons, Eva and Saxa in the second, Athena and Ygritte the third, Torvi will have one, Tormund will have another, Þórunn because she is resting still from her wounds can have the sixth and Lagertha being the most maturest member of the group the final, of course in a day or two Þórunn can share with a sister and Ygritte can get her own one!" and agreeing Tormund started to crack open the ales that he stole from the village. Hours passed and bottle after bottle was consumed by all, "What will you do tonight?" Lagertha queried finishing another bottle of ale, "I will try and study the maps and track the Draugr down!" "How do you exactly stop one?" "Corpse door, drag them through a door or a tomb feet first and then we brick it up, from there Hades and co. will take care of it!" she nodded before looking around to see the others had dragged themselves back to their tents she smiled before saying, "Thank you again for what you did, I owe you!" "Well tomorrow you will start to earn my gratitude!" and nodding she kissed my lips for a few moments before saying, "Good night James!" and nodding I muttered, "Of course she did that!"

We spent virtually a month finding this damn thing but it was soon clear we were near, I taught Saxa that with this creature it is hard to track them because they are technically a ghost but instead enforced the idea that you can track them but just by other means, mainly by sight and hearing but it became clear by the glowing precursor site which was currently closed off to us, "What is this place?" "This is an Isu site!" "How do we open it?" "I assume the point is... it's meant for James, the prophecy is so far true and we had confirmation that there is something in there for him. What's the plan James?" "Simple, Tormund and I will grab a leg, Wilkin, Saxa and Artemis will lift him up by the arms and shoulders whilst blocking his view so it can't see where it is going, we drag him to that a made door way made in the cliff we then brick it up Eva and the viking trio will obviously start and we will join in after!" "No, we will take care of him you get the potion!" "You sure?" "Yes!" now let's get this thing opened. We walked up studying the stone objects put my hand against it to show the doors open and walking down the stairs they are stared in shock to see the complexity of the infrastructure, "Oh this? this is rather basic, wouldn't you say James?" "Yes definitely!" "It's all nice and all that but where do you piss?" Tormund gruffed "Just do it over the side!" I spoke and walking up saw the creature staring at the object before turning around snapped, "Away all of you! This is meant for James!" "I am he!" "My deal is you take the potion and I am free to relive my life!" I took the potion before stabbing it in the side snapped, "The Gods told me to tell you, there has been a change of plan!" as Tormund hit him with a club shot, "Tormund, Wilkin feet. Artemis make sure he can't see where it is going!" she blindfolded it and escorting it out I studied the potion and read the note, "To free yourself from one you must accept another!- Athena!" I studied the bottle again before removing the top stated, "What will I become!" "There is only one way to find out!" Þórunn spoke walking up to me and studying the note spoke, "Either way it can't be good a curse for a curse!" I sighed before kissing my lips she spoke with her scarred smile, "Either way you can't be as hideous as me!" "If I find the man who did that he would not be recognisable after I was finished with him!" she smiled before kissing my lips again spoke, "Either way let's hope you this makes you safe around us, I would like to get to know you better. I think we all would! Now drink!" "Let's get out of here first, these places have a habit of automatically sealing themselves!" we walked up the steps and out of the site which as predicted closed behind us and seeing them enclose the creature in saw Þórunn who stared at me, "I am doing it! doing it now!" she nodded and drinking the glowing liquid coughed before falling to floor with Þórunn rushing to my side watching me start to hallucinate. Artemis seeing this rushed to his side and checking for a pulse which was stupid because he never had one saw his body shake before receiving an message from Athena who stated that it was meant to happen. "What now?" "Let's finish here and get him back to camp!"

I dreamed of running freely and careless, I ran through the woods past my obligations, past my powers, past: my education, my "lovers", past Zeus and as they all stared I leaped past the obstacles but this soon turned to nightmares of what I would do, the people that would be killed, children murdered and burnt and those who tried to fight were dead organs ripped out and falling to my knee's looked up to see Athena walk towards me, "I didn't mean this...you weren't meant to be like this!" I got up and looking at her snapped, "All of this because of you!" "It's not like that!" and walking forward I snapped, "You didn't have to do this!" "I did to defeat the king of the Trolls but it was mean't to be tamed and not wild, not free and ruthless!" I growled before feeling the claws form on my hand snapped, "When you have been restricted and put down all your life, this is freedom!" she looked at me and biting down on her neck sat up coughing violently and looking around was met by the others who were sat down like usual but Lagertha and Athena were looking over me, "James it's okay!" Athena hugged me and up saw my larger hands among other differences in my physical appearance and getting up I spoke, "I need some air!"

"Tormund!" I called out returning half an hour later, "Yeah? finally back to normal is it? You were wailing like a sissy earlier!" I pulled his arm and turning so my back was to them stated, "I can't tell them what I saw but if those dreams were anything to go from as the future, kill me!" "What?" "You are the only one who has the strength and is crazy enough to succeed!" "What did you see?" "Villages slaughtered, children with organs missing; the faces of horror and the problem of it being more wild and untamed than Athena expected; if I can't stop it smash my brains in, bury me in a deep ditch, do anything just don't let that happen!" he nodded before asking, "Why not have a female wolf... you've seen Dire wolf's go at it? Wild and vicious as any evil bastard out there but when they have mate they mellow...maybe you need a woman one to neuter you!" "Just make sure, you keep your promise!" he nodded and leaving me I spoke to myself, "I hope it won't come to that!"

I sat down at the fire and seeing everyone stare at me and my outbursts however Lagertha sat next to me and spoke calmly, "Okay...so you are a varúlfur. A bit of a problem if it wasn't for Hera's device...seven out of ten days you would transition but maybe we can reduce it!" "You would know?" "A young girl came to my husbands court a while back he didn't listen to her but for thirty days she plagued our lands until eventually the men of our tribe killed her. I studied her so know that this isn't necessarily a curse!" "She tormented your family, friends and people!" "She came to us for a place to stay, she had greater strength, speed and senses...she wanted acceptance but was ridiculed, yes she was wild but she seemed to get used to a few people with enough exposure to them...if you can tell yourself to judge who is good and who is bad and do it successfully it would be a gift!" "And if I can't control it?" "Raise hell in your own realm...they did this to you, show them what they caused but I believe you can!" "What makes you say that?" she turned to me and undoing her hair smiled before looking into my golden red wolf eyes spoke, "Because I am here!" and kissing me sat on my lap hugging her arms around me said, "I will be there when no one else will!" I captured her lips and nodding at me I carried her to her tent ignoring the glaring eyes. I closed the flaps to the tent and seeing her already undoing her trousers and shirt spoke watched as I did mine, "Where did I get these three claw marks from?" "It's the sign!" she stated by not letting me ask anymore questions she pulled me forward by the waistband of my trousers to her bedding, "Enough tough more loving!" she ordered and kissing her breasts she pushed my trousers off and climbed onto my cock, she didn't bother muffling her moans which was either due to her not caring about who knows or because she wanted them to know and seeing the facial features grow more animalistic she smiled kissing my squished nose and furry ears, "Fuck me harder you big bad wolf!" she screeched and feeling herself being pinned down she tried to shift herself but feeling the extra pressure looked up to my half changed face and nodded wrapping her legs around my slightly furry waist, "If you have to change then do it!" and staring at her once more as I continued to thrust she grabbed her breasts but this was soon replaced my hands and crying out see came with me roaring as I did the same.