HEIM OF GODS

Chapter 3: Dark Energy

Together, they left the eatery, getting lost in the crowd of people thronging the streets. The sound of hammering on metal, the smell of freshly baked bread, and the chatter of the crowd enveloped them as they made their way towards the city gate.

As they walked through the Burh, a young woman named Lyra, one of the palace's honoured attendants, known as a "Hirdkona", caught Kael's eye. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with interest, as they passed each other in the hallway.

Vigdis noticed the exchange and elbowed Kael playfully. "Ah, looks like someone's got their eye on you, Kael! Just a try won't hurt, eh?" he teased, using the Norse phrase "Ein þrýr, ein þrýr" (one try, one try).

Kael blushed and shook his head, but Vigdis just chuckled and clapped him on the back.

They entered the gathered guards' briefing, where their Hersir, the leader of the guard, was addressing the group. "As you all know, an incident occurred in the Víðimýri field last night. A dark force, known as the 'Mórka', drained half of the field and affected several of the Shepherd's herds, known as 'Féhirðir'. It also drained a section of the sacred fountain, 'Mímisbrunnr'."

The Hersir's expression was grave. "We need to investigate this incident and determine the cause. Kael and Vigdis, I want you to head to the Víðimýri field and see what you can make of it. Report back to me with any findings."

He turned to the other guards. "Meanwhile, I want the higher-ranked guards to put up a patrol at the Langagata gate, the Borgargata gate, and 'Borgartorn' (the tower gate). Let's keep a sharp eye out for any signs of trouble. We'll reconvene once Kael and Vigdis return with their findings."

The guards nodded and began to disperse, each one knowing their assigned task. Kael and Vigdis exchanged a look, then headed out towards the Víðimýri field, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Kael and Vigdis rode on horseback, accompanied by other guards, towards the Víðimýri field. As they dismounted their horses, Kael looked around, feeling an eerie sense of familiarity. The same energy he had felt at the stable the previous night seemed to be emanating from the field.

Suddenly, Kael's eyes glazed over, and he fell into a state of trance, known as "ógn" in Old Norse. He was transported to a dark, foreboding place, a deep, dark hole that seemed to stretch on forever.

As he stood there, frozen in time, he heard his name being called again, the same whispery woman's voice that had summoned him to the stable. The image of the woman he had seen calling for help flashed before his eyes, and then, a horn-like shape began to take form, its surface a deep, fiery red, reminiscent colour.

The voice continued to call out to him, but this time, it was a different voice, one that seemed to come from all around him. Vigdis's voice cut through the trance, "Kael! Kael! Are you okay? You're lost for a moment, are you alright?"

Kael stumbled back to reality, stammering, "I'm...I'm...Fine." Vigdis looked at him with concern, "You need to stay focused, Kael. We don't need any 'fýla' here." (Fýla is an Old Norse word for "foul play" or "mishap".)

Kael took a deep breath, composing himself. "What evil happened here?" he asked, surveying the desolate landscape.

Vigdis shook his head, making a wry comment, "Somebody got busy last night, making a huge mess! Looks like the Norns themselves have been weaving a dark tapestry here."

Kael called out to a junior guard, "Hey, Sveinn! (Sveinn is an Old Norse name, and also a term used to address a junior guard or servant.) Did you witness anything unusual last night?"

The junior guard responded with a crisp, military salute, "Já, Kael! (Yes, Kael!) I was on watch near the field, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. However, I did hear strange noises coming from the field around midnight. It sounded like...like the howling of wolves, but it was different, somehow."

Kael nodded and looked around at the desolate field then turned to the junior guard again. "Sveinn, come with me. We'll speak to the villagers and see if anyone has any information."

Sveinn nodded and followed Kael as they made their way into the village. As they walked, Kael noticed that the villagers were all huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. They seemed nervous and on edge.

Kael approached one of the villagers, an elderly woman. "did you hear anything strange last night? Anything that might have seemed out of the ordinary?"

The woman looked around nervously before leaning in close. "I heard the sound of wolves, but it was different. It was...it was almost like they were singing, but it was a sad, mournful sound."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "Did you see anything?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I saw nothing.

Kael and Sveinn spent the rest of the day questioning the villagers, but no one seemed to have any concrete information about what had happened the previous night.

As the sun began to set, Kael and Sveinn returned to Vigdis, who was waiting for them by the horses.

"Anything?" Vigdis asked, but Kael just shook his head.

"No one saw anything, but they all heard the strange noises. It's as if...it's as if something is trying to hide its tracks."

Vigdis nodded grimly. "It's a Mórka, all right. I can feel it in my bones."

Sveinn looked at them nervously. "What's a Mórka, sir?"

Vigdis's expression was grim. "It's a darkness, a malevolent force that brings destruction and chaos. We need to be careful, Sveinn. We don't know what we're dealing with here."

As they mounted their horses and rode back to the Burh,

"The entire city was gripped with fear and anxiety, as if the very fabric of their reality was unraveling before their eyes..."