Cearbhail: This is a shorter chapter, but it's mainly to introduce another new character. This character was thought up by Swoland119, so this is more like a character insert. And his creation of this character and his background has given me the opportunity to add the Apple of Eden to the story, for which I'm very thankful. I hope this new character grows on you because well... I don't want to ruin the surprise.

[Olin]

The rolling sounds of the waves crashing against the ship were like a lullaby that pulled me into a deep sleep. I always found sailing comforting. While not being able to sail as well as most of my kinsmen were destined to be, I was pretty good at fixing ships. I did spend the majority of my youth on a ship kinda like this one. I was troubled by the lack of oars and slaves pushing and pulling to the beat of a drum master. I found it hard to sleep at night without the sound of drums pounding in a rhythmic manner.

I opened my eyes and looked around the cabin. There were many of us, but no one I knew. I was taken by some people with weapons. I had no idea what was going on at the time. All I remember was this:

…

[Two days earlier]

The cloth covering my doorway in my room flapped open, waking me up immediately. My father, a strong Norseman and leader of the village, rushed into my room. He was carrying his massive daneaxe, a giant battle axe that was almost as tall as he was. He was dressed in full armor, chainmail with plates attached. He carried a shied that was almost as long as he was. I don't know what was going on, but it had to be a battle. Now that we stood there in silence while he glared down at me, judging me with his one good eye, I could hear the cries of war outside my window.

"Son, grab your sword! We must repel the borders!" He boomed at me as he stared down at me. "Our kinsmen from the south are making a move on our livestock. We must protect our source of food for this long winter." He didn't wait for me to get up. He charged out of my room, his long cape flapping behind him.

I rubbed my eyes as I pushed myself out of my bed. I walked over to my personal armory, grabbing my chainmail dress, throwing it over me. My hair caught on the individual chains for a few seconds, but I managed to rearrange it without pulling out any of my hair. Once I had that put on, I grabbed my scabbard and belt. I pulled my belt tight; making sure my sword was placed correctly on my hip. I've never actually used a blade in real combat before. Sure, I've used it in combat, but that was only drills. This wasn't a drill.

I grabbed my shield and attached it to my left arm. The last thing I grabbed was my helmet. That was all I was going to need. Well, that and my fur boots. I had to keep my feet warm. Good thing I had plates underneath the fur. It kept me somewhat warm and protected from falling arrows. So, once I made sure I had everything on, I started pushing my way through the longhouse. All of my father's advisors were dressed up in armor. They were waiting for me to exit before going back to their guard detail. They had to protect the secret treasure of our culture. Some round orb that father keeps in a box. I do not know what it really is, since he will not tell me until I become leader of our people.

I nodded to one of the guards as I came up to the exit of the longhouse. The guard checked me over, making sure I had everything on correctly before nodding and moving away from the door leading out to the battle. "Your father expects you to stay near the house and protect it if enemy approaches. No wandering too far from our protection. Understand, sire?"

I nodded to him. "Aye, I know what he wishes." Trust me, I had no ambition of running out into the fray and get myself a limb lobbed off. I'm not stupid; I'm not a seasoned warrior. I'm sure the son of a chief. All the other children over 13 were out here fighting. I'm 17; therefore, I have a responsibility to protect our village.

Once I cleared the doorway, I got to see exactly how bad it was out here. There were buildings set on fire. People cried out in horror as they ran out into the field, body fully lit aflame. Our warriors were already in the thick of battle with a rival clan. We were outnumbered. More than that, they had giant launching devices that were throwing flaming piles of hay tied down with rocks. That's what they were using to set our houses on fire. I ducked my head as I saw and heard a couple arrows land around me. Bows? They were using bows? Crap!

I pushed myself away from the longhouse as I saw more archers firing at me. I guess they thought I was an easy target, but they were far off. They couldn't possibly hit me from so far away. I brought up my shield and ducked underneath it just in case as I ran away from the longhouse. I heard more than felt the arrows land around me, missing me my inches. I felt one clunk against my shield and I was thankful I had enough sense to hold it up. But, I couldn't see where I was going, though. My foot caught on a body of someone who had burnt to death. When I fell, I landed on a loose rock. It hit me right on my knee. It hurt, but I was lucky I had leather padding to absorb some of it. Otherwise, I think I would have broken my knee.

I pushed myself up. I dropped my shield to look around. More places were catching on fire. It was getting pretty bad. I couldn't see my father or the other warriors at all. There was too much smoke all around me. The wind had shifted and the smoke from the burning houses was drifting up hill. I was starting to cough. It was getting hard to breathe and I couldn't see. Heck, I had to get out of here.

I turned myself around, scanning for someone or something. But the smoke was too thick. That's when I heard battle cries from the lower part of the hill. I stared into the smoke, hoping to see my kinsmen march victoriously back into the town. But, I didn't see that. What I saw were broader rival clan members rushing up to face me in combat. They were soaked in blood, whether their own or my family's I don't know. But I turned around and ran in the opposite direction. I had to get back to the longhouse and protect it with my life!

Spears landed all around me, arrows landing as well. I felt several hit me across my back, but my plating was thick enough that it protected me against their assaults. I had a few arrows ricochet off my helmet. So glad I had one. I looked over my shoulder. Maybe I could take them. One…two…six…ten. Um…I can barely handle one my own age. Nope, I think I'll keep running for now until I see someone who can help me fight them.

I saw a discarded throwing axe lying on the ground. Well, better now than never, I guess. I leaned down and snatched the axe as I ran past it. What could I use this for? I could throw it, but I doubt it would help. Some of them were well-built and just as armored as I was. So, I kept it in my hands as I kept running away. I think I could see the longhouse. Heck, I could see the guards lining up with their spears and atgeirs. I counted six. My father was among them, his body covered in blood but with a strong glare in his eye.

"Ready! Charge!" My father screamed. The guards all cried out in war and they charged out, throwing their spears and readying their atgeirs. The spears landed behind me, and I heard one of the many warriors cry out in pain and fall to the ground. Ok, so they took at least one out. Good. My father reached out for me to take his hand as I came flying up to the house. I stretched out my hand, and he took it. He pulled me in so quick that I barely knew what happened to me. Next thing I knew I was behind him and he had his massive battle axe brought up in front of him, already blocking/deflecting at spear that was trusted at him. He pushed the Norseman off, cleaving his head off his shoulder in the process. He looked back at me, screaming, "Olin! My box! Take it, run! These raiders can't get their hands on our treasure. If they get their hands on the treasure, all of the world will be in danger."

I nodded and picked myself off the floor. I raced through the longhouse to my father's throne. I heard several slams against the roof. I didn't pause to look up at it. I could smell the smoke and feel the heat already. The roof was on fire. I had to get the box and get out of here. As I reached the throne, I could hear more slams against the wall of the longhouse. My room was already on fire. They were hitting the entire longhouse with burning piles of hay. We wouldn't last long in this house made of wood. The roof groaned and some of the long boards of wood above us started cracking.

I looked around the throne, finding the golden box underneath my father's throne. I pulled at the box but it didn't budge. I forgot, this box was built into the throne. There was no way to take it and run. It was also locked. But I couldn't leave without the treasure. I felt a massive wave of heat as part of the roof caved it, a giant wave of fire spreading across the floor. The heat was rolling all over me. I threw my hands up to protect my face, but I couldn't focus on the fire right now. I had to get away with the treasure. I looked at the throwing axe in my hand. Yes! I could use this axe to break the lock. I aimed the axe at the lock and brought it back. I slammed it against the lock, hearing a loud clank as in return. The lock looked unfazed. So, I slammed the axe on it, again, and again. The lock finally gave way and snapped off the box. I hurried as I flipped the box open.

There it was…the treasure. A small round orb of gold that shimmered with a divine elegance only comparable with Odin or Thor. I held my breath as I reached in and grabbed it. It hummed in my hands. What sorcery was this? This wasn't made by mortals or even meant for them. It seemed…divine, perfect. I couldn't place the feeling, but it felt alien to me. Well, it was a gift of Odin, how could I possibly understand the feeling? I'm a mere mortal with no divine blood at all. This thing scared me a little. I heard the roof above me groan. As I looked up, the roof above me caved in. I watched as the roof fell upon me. My last thought was that I had failed my father. Once this fire died down, our enemy would still get our treasure, because nothing this divine would diminish in a fire like this, but I would.

…

[Two hours later]

I opened my eyes. Everything was fuzzy for a few seconds, but it started clearing up. I was lying down in a fresh pile of snow. As soon as I could tell I was lying in a clearing used for docking our vessels, I could see the billows of smoke drifting up from the remains of my village. I was a mile or so away, lying on my front, covered in a light layer of snow, or ash. Heck, I can't tell. It didn't seem cold enough to be snow. I could see the smoke coming from my village. It was burnt to the ground. I couldn't see anything specific: no movement, no one coming after me, no survivors walking out of the village. But, I was a far away from the village, so I doubt I'd see anyone anyway. I would have to get closer.

That's when I heard foreign garble that sounded like language. I looked up from my resting place to see a pair of soldiers dressed in weird white padded robes with plates staring down at me. They had swords like my own, but they looked longer and fancier, almost like they had never seen a day of battle. Their helmets covered more of their heads, only leaving a small slit for the eyes to see through. Were these holy warrior of Odin coming to collect me for taking their treasure? Was I on my way to Asgard to meet the rest of my family?

They garbled to each other, but I recognized one word, "Norseman." The way they looked down at me, it was like I was a lost calf. If these were warriors of Asgard, would they speak around me in a foreign language? I would think that they would speak to me in our language. Maybe they needed something instead.

As I sat up, I looked down at the treasure in my hands. If these were Asgardian warriors coming to collect me, perhaps they'd want the treasure as well. This should be back in the hands of Odin and away from the mortal realm all together. It would keep it away from all the rival clans hoping to use its holy power against the rest of us. So, when I stood up, I showed the treasure to the Asgardian warriors. "This is the treasure from my village. It belongs to Odin. Will you take it from the hands of mortals and return it to the hands of the gods?"

They looked at me and then back at each other. They garbled to each other for a second. One of them arched his shoulders and raised his hands in what appeared to be confusion. He finally stepped forward, reaching for the treasure. When it grabbed it in my hand, I felt a spark, a sudden flash in my mind. My vision blurred for a second. So was the Asgardian, as far as I could tell.

"What the hell? Johnson, are you ok?" The Asgardian from the rear shouted.

The Asgardian reaching up to take off his helmet, nodded to his fellow as he pulled the helmet off. I was expecting a face of perfection, but I saw a pale face in return. He looked like one of the Gaelic warriors our culture had warred with. I wonder if…oh no. These were Gaels.

The Gael that snatched the treasure from me looked back at his fellow. "That was quite the rush, but I feel just fine." He looked over to me, nodding at me. "Ok you ok, son? You look like you experienced the jolt too."

I found myself nodding. "I am fine. But…I can understand you. How?"

They both looked shocked that I spoke the same language. The one in the back confirmed it, saying, "That's weird, a Norseman this young that speaks English. What do you think he's doing out here dressed for war?"

The Gael holding onto the treasure pointed up at the village. "I'm guessing he's from that village." He looked down at me. "Are you the only survivor?"

I found myself shrugging. "I don't know. I was in the longhouse. It burnt to the ground with me inside it. I woke up, finding myself lying out here."

The soldier nodded at me. "We just scouted up there. We didn't see anyone still alive. We came by to investigate the clouds of smoke. We're actually on our way up to England with a shipment of slaves to rebuild a wall. Since you're all that remains of your village, you have no reason to stay here. So…we're taking you with us."

"What?" I had time to ask before the soldier slammed me against my head.

…

[Present]

When I woke up, I found myself in the cot I was sleeping in now. I was stripped of all my armor and my treasure was taken from me. I had become a slave. It was bound to happen eventually. I could have resisted and fought my captures, but I had to get the treasure back and see that no one ever used it. I couldn't do that if I was dead. So, I was going to play along and act the slave until I could get my hands on the treasure and chuck it out into the ocean, where no one could ever touch it ever again.

My duties aboard this ship were mostly maintenance. I helped patch holes that threatened to kill us. Of course, I could have just let our ship sink and let the treasure sink with us. Somehow, I couldn't let myself die in the ocean like this. It should be my duty, but the lifeboats could probably save a few people and the treasure with it. I couldn't take that chance. I had to make sure no one could ever get their hands on it ever again.

I started climbing out of my cot. I couldn't sleep any longer and I should begin my rounds to see if the ship was sinking. I looked down at my current clothes: slave clothes. They were nothing more than a loose-fitting tunic and loose trousers. Every slave on this ship had to wear them.

"Sir, we're coming up on Nottingham port! Um…maybe we should take the longboats. The port seems to have been crushed by a drunken sailor piloting a galleon." One of the sailors called from the deck of the ship.

I climbed up the stairs leading to the deck. The air felt warmer than in Denmark. As I looked over the ship, I could see the land we were approaching. A giant city covered by a giant wall…well parts of a giant wall. The small town near the edge of the giant river looked like my village, only not burnt to the ground. So…this is why were brought here? We're here to fix this place? I found myself swallowing as I realized that I don't know what would happen to me once we finished with the repairs of this small town. Would we be killed or released? I have no idea, but I had to get that treasure and run as soon as I could.

Cearbhail: Ok, I didn't want to say he'll be around for a while because I kinda wanted that falling roof to maybe hint that he had died. but he didn't. The Apple responded to his fear of imminent death. It teleported him safely away from the village before the roof collapsed on him. The power it drained from him knocked him out before he could recover. Also, when the knight touched the orb, it took his language and shared it with Olin. The Apple actually gave him English so that he could communicate with the knight. That's not all the Apple will do, but basically...well...I shouldn't, I really shouldn't. Ok, it only works in his hands.