The Son Of Ragnar



With limited time to seize the leader of these Christian men, he was easily distinguishable as his companions hurried ahead. Unlike his comrades, he lacked any armor, preferring to maintain the ability to swim should they be thrown into the sea.

"You filthy vermin! How dare you set foot in a boat protected by God?" the man yelled, while his men charged forward to confront the two Vikings.

"Tyr, take his head. I'll deal with these men here," Bjorn reassured Tyr, unsheathing his sword. In a single mighty swing, he bifurcated three warriors in one fell swoop.

The advancing Christians halted in their tracks, unwilling to face the wrath of the Viking who had just dispatched their brethren.

They swiftly closed in, surrounding Bjorn, but Tyr felt no concern for his brother's safety. He knew these men posed no real threat to Bjorn; after all, Bjorn was one of the mightiest warriors present, and he had full confidence in his brother's abilities. With a determined focus, Tyr skillfully wielded his axes, expertly severing the necks of his enemies who dared to block his path.

The leader of the opposing group couldn't help but notice the swift and devastating efficiency with which Tyr dispatched his men. Realizing that continuing to attack the Viking with his men would result in heavy losses and hinder their ability to halt the main advance of the other Viking forces, he made a strategic decision.

"Step aside! Concentrate on killing the other one!" the leader commanded, as he moved forward to personally handle Tyr. 

Meanwhile, Bjorn found himself encircled by more than twenty men, the odds seemingly stacked against him.

Tyr glanced beyond his enemies and sensed the urgency of the situation. Time was running out, and he couldn't fathom how this man leading the charge could be strong enough to justify such a reckless and suicidal strategy. While the enemy's plan was working to some extent, it was clear that putting so few men against the Viking fleet showed that they were either disposable or they underestimated their enemies.

With a swift and agile leap, Tyr soared into the air, his dual axes descending like a guillotine, aimed at the top of the man's head. However, Tyr deliberately left himself vulnerable during his fighting style, a tactic that had often worked to his advantage. Surprisingly, the man chose not to exploit this opening and allowed Tyr's axes to come dangerously close to his head before swiftly stepping back.

"What?" Tyr mumbled, feeling his head jar as if it had been struck. In a split second, he had to regain his composure, taking a step back. The man's fist was tilted up the moment Tyr jumped, almost like he knew that Tyr would land on it, putting it in his blind spot and with a lack of motion that rendered it almost imperceptible, Tyr couldn't have seen the attack coming.

Tyr's ability to spot blind spot attack used the distortion in the air around him but this man did not move hence Tyr couldn't perceive this attack.

"Now, I will take your head," the man declared, a chilling confidence in his tone. In that moment, Tyr realized he had underestimated his opponent, and he had no intention of making that mistake again.

-

Ragnar was rendered speechless as he witnessed his sons' actions, yet his face beamed with undeniable pride. Baard was poised to launch another spear, but Ragnar restrained him, placing full trust in his sons' judgment.

"Baard, stand down," Ragnar instructed, and the remarkable thing about Baard was his unwavering obedience. He never questioned Ragnar's will; he simply followed it.

The battle was swift, and Ragnar couldn't fathom how his sons had managed to board the boat. He suspected Tyr must have played a crucial role in this unexpected feat. Had they fought their way through like others attempted, they would have undoubtedly been noticed. Yet, to everyone's surprise, they had managed to slip aboard unnoticed.

It was a moment of both astonishment and admiration for Ragnar as he observed his sons' daring and strategic prowess. In his heart, he knew they were destined for greatness.

Their boat hurtled forward, a minute and a few seconds away from making contact with the enemy's boat. Ragnar had faith in his sons' abilities, although their job would be done if they kept the warriors occupied. Yet, Ragnar knew his children well enough to know that they would face no opposition by the time they reached the enemy's boat.

Amidst the chaos, Bjorn stood like a fearless titan, facing more than twenty men alone. The onlookers watched in awe as he held his ground, deflecting every enemy strike with an almost godlike grace, though he was still just a mortal.

Meanwhile, Tyr appeared motionless, his mind clearly at work, calculating his next move with precision. Ragnar observed his son closely, aware that Tyr saw something that he himself did not. 

"Tyr, what are you doing..." Ragnar pondered silently.

Grjötgard felt relief as he observed the brothers' daring actions. He understood why they did what they did the moment he saw them on that boat. that they were driven by the reckless plan they had hatched. 

"He's even more reckless than the tales," Grjötgard remarked to Salgard, who nodded in agreement. 

Tyr's penchant for extreme tales was no secret to Grjötgard; he had heard about the explosion that had cost Skarde his eyes, and yet, the reality seemed to surpass even the wildest stories.

Thorgard, the youngest of the brothers, couldn't help but worry about Tyr and Bjorn, seeing them surrounded and in apparent danger. 

"Should we not help them!?" he anxiously asked his older brothers.

"No, leave them be. They've got it under control," Grjötgard replied curtly, and without hesitation, he proceeded to give instructions to his men. 

"Prepare to ram through the obstacle!" he commanded, intending to clear a path.

Thorgard, however, had doubts about this course of action, knowing that his newfound brothers were still on board the enemy's boat. He tried to interject, but a single glance from Grjötgard silenced him. Usually, that look would have been enough to deter Thorgard, but the stakes were too high now. His concern and sense of responsibility for his new brothers pushed him to voice his objections further.

Thorgard was done being pushed around, if he wanted to be seen as their equals he needed to start acting like it.

"We cannot ram through or they will be washed along the sea current! I beg you to think it over General Grjötgard!" Thorgard pleaded.

"Please brother! Let me take the lead!" Thorgard begged, eager to make a name for himself and that authority was given to him.

"Very well then, I will allow it," Grjötgard said as he took a step back.

"Vikings! Prepare for battle!" Thorgard screamed at the top of his lungs as they began beating their shield with their lost morale restored.