The moon did not show in this night in the woods as Oliver lay back in his makeshift cot, a bow and quiver laying beside it as he heard the rustle of the woods around him. It had been seventeen days since he had been given the items and his month long trial had started, yet he had yet to find one single animal. 'This is stupidly bad luck, even for me.' Oliver thought as he reached his hand up into the air, his hand opened and reaching for what he could feel was his hope slipping away. He had been able to get food from Oric, and even got some advice on the type of creatures that would be considered edible, but the hunting tactics he had used back when he went with his father were useless in this environment, not even any small rate monsters came in. Oliver had tried baiting them with small pieces of his left over food, using vegetables, even hiding behind bushes in wait for the beasts to just casually stroll up, but none appeared.
"DAMMIT!" Oliver shouted as he slammed his hand down into the cot, whatever structure it held soon falling apart with him in it, making him pull himself up cursing as he started picking leaves off of his body. As he did, he heard the leaves begin to rustle differently, followed by the crunching off footsteps as Oliver reached for his bow and quiver, his voice quieting down as the crunching came closer. 'The footsteps are even, but not enough to be any more than two feet moving towards me.'
Oliver sighed as he turned towards the sound, his gaze expecting to meet a human heading near him. What he found, however, was a large beast that was clearly reptilian in nature, walking on two legs with it's body shaped like what was similar to some dinosaurs he had seen in a museum. 'However, it's the same creatures that had attacked Night Raid, given the gem on it's head... Guess that answers if this is the world I thought it was...' Oliver thought as he noticed the shape of the creature's head, along with a small blue gem in the center of it as he kneeled down and reached down for the bow and started to pull out an arrow from the quiver before he stopped, his gaze sternly noticing the way the creature was following him. 'It's waiting for me to try and draw the bow back…'
With that Oliver stood back up his gaze looking around him. Now that he knew what he was facing, glints of what could be considered the same creatures were now more visible around the area, some moving around and showing clear signs of what they were, and others barely moving and could only be glints of light, all circling towards him as his mind went through the options of how to deal with them.
'Did you already forget?' came a voice in Oliver's memories, making him look down to see the shadows of the trees above him, his mind imagining the pair of red eyes that the voice went to. 'Your power may come from ambition, but it is nothing without strength you hold without it. So then, do you simply wish to be a pawn to the power, or to use it as a stepping stone for your very ambitions?'
Oliver then smirked, looking back up to see the creature already in a crouched stance as he took an attack stance. "Of course these creatures remind me of them..." Oliver spoke to himself, the beasts now completely surrounding him as he raised his hands, his gaze on the three closest as they charged towards him, the blue jeweled beast sitting back and watching. "Fine then, come and meet death."
Oliver then spun under one of the beasts as they went for a bite, slamming his fist into it's chest and feeling a few resounding cracks as he broke it's ribs, making the creature cry out in pain as the other two jumped forward. In the same motion, Oliver grabbed the creature's neck with his free hand before dragging it and slamming the creature into the one on his left, feeling it surprisingly lighter than he expected. 'With their size, it should've given me more problems to toss them around.' Oliver thought as he lifted his left foot, slamming it into the jaw of the final creature, their head snapping as they fell to the ground beside him limp. 'I'll figure out the reasoning as to why later, if I manage to survive...'
'Aim for the one with the jewel, and the rest will retreat, it's obviously the one in charge of this group.' another voice came in Oliver's head, similar to his own yet not as he looked back to the creature, it's gaze clearly commanding as he lifted his leg and smashed his heel into the creature that was still trying to get up under it's fallen comrade, a resounding snap coming from it's neck and making the monsters stop in hesitation as the jeweled beast kept it's gaze on him. 'Don't give it a warning, it's obviously knowledgeable in strength in numbers, but it's also the one controlling the rest. Take it out, and the rest will flee.'
Oliver looked back down at his bow, an arrow that he had started to grab already out partially, before he looked back up at the creature, it's gaze already noticing what he was looking at. In one quick motion, however, Oliver jumped over and grabbed both the bow and arrow, rolling forward as the creatures started to charge towards him before he aimed the bow and drew back in quick progression, almost too quick for him to adjust as he remembered the sudden strength he had before adrenaline kicked in, the events seeming to slow down as he released the string, the arrow itself flying true toward the beast as he spun the bow, slamming it into the head of one of the creatures that had made it's way only a foot from him and smashing the bow in half as he continued it's arc and stabbed the broken bow into the head of the next, soon hearing a loud cry that halted the remaining, making him turn to see the arrow having made it straight through the creature's eye, it's own body contorting as it fell back, life draining from it. Oliver took the chance immediately, running straight towards it as it began to come back up before he flipped forward, slamming both of his heels dead into the creature's chest, ceasing the creature's shouts in one last grotesque screech, the sound causing the rest to flee from the area as Oliver rolled back and stood up, looking around in shock at the six dead creatures.
"Well, can't say you've lost your touch, general." came a voice before Oliver turned around, seeing an armored man sitting beside the now dead creature as he looked at it's head. Oliver looked over the man's armor, it's make obviously that of what the Norse cultures had worn during the time of the Great Heathen Army. The armor was that of a cheap iron helmet, yet a leather hauberk that defended most of the man's upper body. He then heard a chuckle before the man stood up, removing his helmet, revealing a bearded man whose eyes glowed orange. "Then again, I wouldn't expect anything less of me."
Oliver just looked at the man, noticing the way his body shimmered in some parts where the light of the starry sky above them should've hit. "You're an illusion." Oliver spoke as he kicked a twig toward him, the small branch passing through their body like mist as the man smirked. "You're one of the separated parts of me, then?"
"More or less. You can call me Eanor if you want, the place I live in does." the man spoke as he vanished, soon reappearing behind Oliver while kneeling and looking at the wound inflicted on the creature that bore the broken bow in it's neck. "I reincarnated after all. Clean kill, by the way. Hit it right where the nerves would be open at-"
"Why are you here?" Oliver interrupted, Eanor just sighing as he stood up and turned to the man. "It's more than likely not just because you wanted to see me, and I highly doubt it's because you were worried for me."
"Well it's partially that, and also because I want to see how you'll react to what's coming in three, two, one..." Eanor spoke as he took three steps back, silence soon following as Oliver stared at the man. Within a few seconds, however, Oliver felt a sudden pain in his head, shouting as he kneeled down, memories and knowledge pouring into his brain all at once. What should've been years of information only took seconds to go in, and even shorter to find it's own place in his head as he looked up to Eanor. "You see, me and the others have a perk. If any of the shattered parts, such as myself, wish to rejoin you, we can simply wish it and the darkness will do the rest, though it apparently hits all of us. Hit me an hour ago with all of its knowledge, so I followed the trail it was heading straight to you."
"I have a lot of questions for you about that, such as what the hell put you in that armor." Oliver spoke as his vision began to blur from the after effects of the memories, making Eanor smirk as he began to fade.
"That will be for another time, don't worry." Eanor spoke as he vanished, Oliver soon looking around as his vision cleared up, his mind already thinking through what just happened while also remembering the six monsters he had killed, the first that he had hit still barely holding to life as he walked over to it.
"I'm sorry for prolonging your pain, I'll be sure to end it quickly." Oliver spoke as he kneeled down in front of the creature, the beast just looking at him with glazed eyes before he smashed his hand onto it's neck, severing it's head as he pondered on how to move the creatures.
-The next morning-
Arlus came out of his room yawning as he walked through the hallway. He had stayed up the last night finishing up the spy reports on dealing with the people that had been going in and out of the castle, turning out to be nothing more than a few kids trying to find food. After they were discovered, his father decided to let them live with one of the old generals that he knew would care for the children, after which they learned some extra bits regarding men asking them to look around for things. The men in question were already vacated from the spot they told the kids to return to, however, and Arlus had been going through the spy reports to find anything out about them.
"My Lord, you're up early." came a voice, causing Arlus to snap out of his thoughts and look around at his surroundings. He had been stuck in thought so long he somehow managed to walk to the entrance hall of the castle without noticing. He then turned to find the cook, dragging three beasts from the entryway towards the kitchen. "Shall I get you some breakfast?"
"Not yet, I'll eat with my father and siblings when it's time to eat." Arlus responded as he looked to the creatures that the cook was pulling in. From what he recalled, they were some of the stronger creatures to see in the forests around them, especially when they hunted since the went in packs. "Did you get those from the recent food shipment?"
"No, actually, some hunter came by and was carrying six of them to the guards, handing three in as per an agreement with you along with a slip of paper he was granted as well." the cook spoke, making Arlus look at him surprised. "One of the guards he handed them to were among the ones who were guarding you during your conversation with him, apparently, and asked what he wanted."
"And what did he take in return of it?" Arlus asked as he soon started following the cook to the kitchen.
"He only asked for a license for lumber cutting and whatever cheap or scrap metal we could spare." the cook spoke as they entered the room, a good deal of workers already starting on the breakfast of the day. "Not sure what exactly he plans to do with the metal, but I guess we'll find out since he managed to kill off these creatures."
-Oliver-
Oliver sat in the precipice of the forest as he looked at three wagons he had borrowed from Oric, all of them filled to the brim with broken blades and metal that couldn't be remade in normal means of what he had seen of this world. "You got quite the load off them, especially given that they might've been able to reuse that stuff." came a voice before Oliver turned to find Eanor come out of the shadows of the trees left of him, his gaze turning back to the wagons and past them, seeing the city at least a mile or two away. He had dragged the wagons off road and west, finding a small open patch of land that could work for a house within the forest, though close enough to the city to where he could run over when needed.
"They can't reforge the weapons with their current technology, the metal was too shoddy in it's make. Though with the abundance in resources I saw them holding here, I wouldn't be surprised if they only get these kinds of shoddy weapons from trade." Oliver spoke as he picked himself up, looking back to Eanor as he remembered what occurred. "So then, what world did you end up in?"
"A younger version of our world, where the norse gods are the main deities and ragnarok is slowly approaching." Eanor spoke as he walked to the metal, his gaze overlooking it. "Time moves faster here than it does for you, however. Where it's only been a year in your time since I separated, for me it's been a thousand years."
"Then how come you're able to speak to me?" Oliver asked before he noticed the glow in Eanor's eyes, making him sigh as he realized it. "You're already dead, and in your own afterlife..."
"Indeed, I died fighting against a horde of enemies that tried to kill those I cared about in life, and because of my valor in facing them I was granted a seat in Valhalla." Eanor spoke as he sat down, his eyes more curious than grim as he looked at Oliver's arms. "And I would love to share stories, but those are better left to a fire at night, and we'll have plenty of time to talk about them. In the meantime, I'd like to see just how much raw strength you have at this moment."
"So you noticed the change in strength as well?" Oliver asked as he turned to the tree he had recently been sitting under, the tree clearly three sizes wider than him as he took an attack stance, Eanor looking on with a smirk. "Now then, lets see how strong a full force punch can be."
"How about we just pick up one of the wagons instead of possibly injuring yourself?" Eanor responded, making Oliver sigh as he walked to the wagon with the most metal on it. "Speaking of, how hard was it to drag over to here?"
"Not as hard as I expected, but it still took a good deal of work to get them here." Oliver replied as he stopped at the front of the wagon, soon crouching and gripping it by the pole holding the wheels on it, making sure his back was straight so it wouldn't get hurt during it. "But you were really allowed to enter the realm of the Aesir?"
"They viewed my actions, or rather our actions, as heroic from how we had put our endgame, or at least what the allfather saw of it." Eanor responded as Oliver lifted up with all his strength, the wagon slowly lifting as Eanor watched with a smirk. "How much weight do you think is in that?"
"From the fact that there are some hammer mauls in there that are shattered but weighing around 20 pounds all together, I'm guessing around four, maybe five hundred pounds." Oliver gritted as he lowered it back down, soon standing up as he looked and his arms and tightened his hands into fists, feeling the strength more than he had before now that he found a form of limit to it. "Ten times what I could lift in my base form, regardless."
"Well you focused more on endurance than strength, so it would be amazing what could happen if someone who solely focused on their strength would do, like Isaac or Emily." Eanor spoke as Oliver walked to the farthest wagon from him before reaching in it and pulling out a large double axe that had cracks all over it. "How many more years till they get here?"
"From what Reginhard said, around two or three more." Oliver spoke as he walked back to the tree, getting the axe at the ready to try and chop into it as he closed his eyes and focused on the task at hand. Eanor only watched confused before Oliver swung the axe as hard as he could into the tree, the blade going a few inches in before the pole broke with Oliver flinging himself to the side, making Eanor's eyes widen.
"You can't use your abilities?" Eanor asked, Oliver only sighing as he picked himself back up, looking to Eanor as his gaze glowed a light orange. the warrior then kept silent as Oliver looked at the pole, his eyes changing from their orange glow to a dark red as he felt his own anger welling up.
"It's not that I can't, I've been able to use it to understand the people of this world, but for some reason it's been limited greatly." Oliver spoke as he dropped the shaft, soon turning back to Eanor as he just looked at the broken pole. "You have any knowledge on it?"
"Possibly, given I was cut off completely from using my abilities." Eanor spoke, making the glow in Oliver's eyes vanish as he took his turn of looking confused. "We can still use our powers, mind you, but to a severe limitation. For instance, only me and core forms can use our power to the ability we had during the final battle, but we can't increase on them. From what I heard, others have it worse to the point that the only thing they can do is just fix a papercut, but it's always the same. You can't regain your abilities until something causes you to have major emotional trauma."
"I see..." Oliver spoke before he held up his hand, his mind focusing on something as Eanor watched, the shadows under his feet slowly going forward and welling in a pool before black flames sprouted as if from nowhere, the grass under and around it not even burning as it licked the areas around it. "Seems the only thing I can do right now is use the shadows for flames."
"Better than what I could do, or the guy you just got the memories from last night." Eanor spoke, making Oliver remember the other set of memories in his head. "Regardless, it may have the same borderlines as ours did; only an event that effects your thoughts personally can cause you to start using them."
"And since I'm the original, I'll be regaining all of it." Oliver responded as he kept his eyes on the flames. He then sighed before he waved his hand, the flames vanishing as fast as they appeared as he looked to Eanor. "Guess this means I'm stuck living like a normal person instead of how I planned to."
"I wouldn't say that." Eanor spoke as he walked over to Oliver, a smirk noticeable behind his beard as he looked eye to eye with the man. "We were chosen to hold that power, and we've always trained for just in case if we ever lost it. Besides, you get the perks of having knowledge best suited for an environment like this because of that."
"But in the meantime, I've made it back inside the halls of Valhalla, so I'll speak to you another day on it." Eanor responded, his form soon fading to black before falling into the shadows around them, Oliver just sighing as he heard the man's voice in his head. 'And next time you're ambushed, don't act like you don't know any better and actually fight like we normally do.'
"Fine, you ass." Oliver sighed as he walked back to the tree with the axe dug deep into it, sigh as he tapped it with his fist before he turned back to the wagons. "Alright then, let's get to work on shadow-forging something."
and there is the start of the chapters, where as I'll be posting them more frequently now that I've finished with this. If this chapter seems a bit rushed, please give me an idea as on how to work the kinks in it out.
Till then, this is Ron signing out~
