User Guide

Mindful of his oath, Ragnar vowed that he would fight to the
death against Conrack’s raiders to prove his courage- to earn the
medal of the Odinsblade and a place in the halls of Valhalla.
On the shore sat the tiny boat that had carried the
messengers from Kopperud. Only one had survived, and he
looked to be mumbling incoherently as a woman treated his
wounds. Ragnar’s father and Gudrek stood nearby, until the
woman turned and shook her head.
Walking down the beach, Gudrek helped the thane
aboard the longship. The thane took his place at the ship’s prow,
while the thanesman made his way to the rear of the boat and
the steering board and barked, “Ready oars!”
Alric looked back at Ragnar and grinned. “Ready, war-
rior?”
The thane raised his axe. “To glory!” he cried. Pushing the
ships through the crashing surf, the last warriors clambered over
the sides. Then fourscore warriors pulled as one and the ships
moved out to sea-
Jun’s eyes snapped open. She was still in the village,
near an amused Bragi. “I . . .” she stammered. “I could hear his
thoughts like the waves on the shore! I could smell the sweat
on his leathers, feel the planking beneath his feet! What. . .” The
skald simply put a finger to her lips and continued to smile.
They walked in silence to where the villagers had gathered
together around a roaring fire in the center of the village.
Shielding her eyes from the flames, Jun looked past the fire
and through a set of open gates. Beyond them was a small lake
surrounding an island of rock, on which sat a circle of enormous
stones covered with runes. And in the center of that circle was
an even larger stone.
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