A Deal with a Valkyrie

by Canadian-Parade

A tale of myth and magic, three vikings bound by blood make a deal with a goddess that they will forever regret. One hundred years later, they must trek across the frigid lands of Scandinavia in order to reclaim the ones they cherish most. With an army on its way and danger at every turn, they are suddenly reminded of how it feels to be mortal.

In Europe long ago, there were tales of myth and magic that floated through the air, weaving their way in and out of idle marketplace gossip, lurking behind the backs of lords and ladies, turning the heads of commonplace children. While some people simply brushed them off as tall tales, others took the so called myths to heart and lived their lives fearfully.

Vikings.

That was the name that instilled terror into any and all who overheard. They were fearless, bloodthirsty warriors. What they wanted they got, paying no mind to how much blood was shed. Invading countries simply to pillage and kill, decorating the silent streets with corpses.

That was the image imprinted on the minds of the Europeans. There was one rumour about the vikings however, one so called myth, that scared them more than anything. The Blood Brothers of Scandinavia. Three vikings who hunted down and made a deal with the Valkyrie named Eir, one of the goddesses who decided who lived and who died in battle, so that they may never fall during their conquests. It was whispered, in the dead of night, that they each stood at seven feet tall, with blonde hair and blackened souls.

One fought with the strength and courage of a thousand men, One fought with magic and destroyed all in his way and One, they say, fought like the bloody devil himself, with a maniacal smile and madness in his eyes. These three vikings fought ruthlessly, never to be defeated. They'd be wounded in battle but return the next day, completely fine, with vengeance in their every step. Out of the three, two fought with swords rumoured to have been forged in Valhalla while one fought with an axe stained with the blood of countless warriors.

As feared as these men were and despite the various rumours that claimed otherwise, these warriors were not without their scars. What the rumours didn't tell you was that in order to gain their invincibility, Valkyrie required them to give up what they most cherished. She promised them that when they returned, they would have them back. However, there was a time and a place.

If they did not return in exactly one hundred years time, then they would lose their loved ones forever. If they proved themselves worthy of her trust, however, and returned on time then their loved ones would be granted the curse of invincibility as well. The three blood brothers, bonded through violence and loneliness, agreed. It was not until they returned to their homes that they found out what had been taken.

When they did, they were enraged. Eir had stolen a brother, a lover, and a love. The one who fought with magic returned to his home to find his younger brother, Emil, gone. The one with courage beyond compare returned to find his lover Tino had been taken. The man with the maniacal smile returned to his home to find that he was missing no one. Eir knew that the one he cherished most was his best friend, but he was one of the trio. The magical one could not be taken. So instead, Valkyrie took his ability to love. Even though they regretted their decision, when they returned to Valkyrie's mountain they could not find her. She, and their loved ones, had disappeared into the frigid north winds.

Sorrow did not consume them though, it fueled them. Lighting a fire beneath them that helped them to fight like whirlwinds in battle and take out all of the pain and anger on any warrior who dare oppose them. One hundred years passed slowly at first, but soon came the time where they needed to return to the mountains. This, I'm afraid, is where the tale ends. There is no myth or legends that speaks of what happened to blood brothers of Scandinavia after that. The people of Scandinavia still may wonder what became of their once great warriors.

If they want to find out though, they need only continue reading, for I have the answers. At long last, I have been allowed to put into writing what happened after the local legend's end. What happened after one hundred years of fighting and longing.

I am Arthur Kirkland, friend of Lukas and the Blood Brothers, and this is how their story truly ended.