The Son Of Ragnar

The Vikings enjoyed their victory, they cheered, drank and sang because they knew this might very well be their last drink.

Hagen had fixed the gate and this meant it would be difficult for enemies outside to get in without passing through that very gate.

This might seem like a small victory but it wasn't, they had taken a Kingdom with a raiding party, and this was the first of its kind.

It was all possible due to Tyr's thinking, his extreme strategy bore results even though he knew he was against time.

They had all the treasures they could carry and Tyr watched as the people watched them with fear in their eyes.

He was once like them, powerless and scared but he did something about it, Tyr wondered if it always had to be this way.

Why was fear such an important component in conquest, why couldn't love take its place?

There was no answer to this and Tyr knew even he would view those that trampled his land with hate yet he was willing to work with slavers.

It was ironic but Tyr knew there was nothing that could be done but to use those at his disposal for his ultimate goal.

He was alone, away from the Vikings who were celebrating, the Christians wouldn't try anything funny as long as they had their King.

Ragnar made sure that nothing would happen to the man because his life was the only thing keeping him tame.

Tyr felt someone sit beside him, he looked over his shoulder expecting Bjorn but it was Salgard.

"What do you want?" Tyr asked him, he wasn't scared of Salgard anymore because he saw that he was off limits now that he was part of the family.

"I must say, when I heard you were marrying into my family, I was skeptical that you were a warrior worth much," Salgard responded with a cup of ale in hand.

The wine here tasted a lot different from what they had back home, it was sweet and this made it a lot more enjoyable to gulp not that they were complaining about the one back home.

"I can't say I thought much about you except that creepy smile of yours," Tyr responded but Salgard didn't care much for teasing and thus didn't give him a reaction.

"Tyr Gardsson, I wish to spar you here and now," Salgard challenged him.

"And what if I refuse?" Tyr asked but Salgard simply chuckled.

"You're like me, your body is whispering to you to pick up your blade and strike me down, it is the voice of the strong," Salgard said but this meant that this was only happening because he had only just acknowledged Tyr's strength.

Tyr smiled, this would be a good thing to take his mind off things and the day had progressed well into the evening.

There were people around but they weren't paying much attention to them but the two Vikings knew this would be a good way to motivate their warriors.

"Very well then, I accept your challenge," Tyr responded, Salgard knew that Tyr was holding back in their first exchange even though it wouldn't have made a difference otherwise.

A Viking noticed them squaring up and began to beat his shield, even the tied enemies couldn't help their curious gazes.

They were wondering what was happening and why these barbarians looked so happy to see their fight.

Before they knew it, they were surrounded but the important figures were not present, neither of their brothers were present alongside Ragnar.

"Don't hold back," Tyr said as he unsheathed both of his axes.

"If I don't, I might kill you," Tyr responded but this only made Tyr grin, such arrogance.

Before Salagrd could even process what was happening, Tyr had closed the distance between them.

"He is fast…" Salgard commented that he was a lot faster than when they initially fought.

However, this speed wasn't enough, Tyr swung both of his axes with an out-swinging strike to sever his jugular but all Salgard did was duck and proceeded to try and stab Tyr's midsection with a thrust.

What made this counterattack so effective was the force that Tyr had used made changing his body language near impossible but near impossible was all Tyr needed to make anything possible.

Tyr shifted his body to the side, using the momentum of the very swing that was meant to work against him while simultaneously attempting a kick right into Salgard's face but Salgard brought the hilt of his sword to his face to block the kick.

But then a descending shadow from above him told him that Tyr had no intention of letting him catch his breath.

Tyr's axe was coming down like a guillotine but Salgard managed to roll out of the way, coming to a halt by digging his sword into the ground,

There was something different about Tyr, Tyr was attacking Salgard with the intent to kill and this meant that for Salgard to survive, he didn't have the luxury of holding back.

He loved this feeling, the feeling of someone making him think in battle, the feeling of blocking and counter-attacking his strikes. This was what made fighting worth it and that was the possibility of death.

"Running away?" Tyr teased but Salgard chuckled at this taunt; Tyr noticed the energy shift around him, he didn't know that Salgard possessed such strong killing intent and it was all directed at him.

"What is this feeling…" Tyr thought to himself, uneasy but this only triggered his primal instincts.

Salgard charged at Tyr, dragging his sword along the ground but this was to make Tyr focus his attention on the ground and expect an attack from below.

This strategy worked but this was a dummy move because the attack he was waiting for never came and out of Salgard's sleeve came a dagger that was thrown at the Viking.

This was where Tyr's training came in handy, without even seeing the attack, Tyr dodged it.

This surprised everyone watching, including the enemies that were watching this battle.

Tyr's eyes shifted to Salgard but Salgard expected it, the dagger was the dummy.

Salgard swung his sword upward to slice Tyr into half from below.

There was no way he would be fast enough to block this attack but Tyr had no intention of blocking it.

He kicked the blunt side of the sword, drastically changing its trajectory in the process, this made Salgard not only miss his target but his body was thrown off balance.

And there it was, the first hit of the spar as Tyr slammed the hilt of his axe right into Salgard's face.

Everywhere fell silent and at that moment, Tyr knew that this was no longer a spar just from the look in Salgard's eyes.

"There he is…" Tyr said with a smirk.

"There is the monster I wish to slay," Tyr was ready for the battle that was about to begin.