Viking - Chapter 18 - Beta (Patreon)

Lying on the table, the pain that Magnus felt was nothing compared to what it had been when Odin had put the first rune into his body.  The taste of blood and metal was in his mouth again and it felt like his whole back was on fire.  

The same glow he had seen when Valgard got his rune now illuminated the room once more. The golden light and a crackle of electricity fought to overwhelm Magnus’s senses, yet he ignored all the pain, feeling power beginning to seep into his body.

Time slowed down as the rune was melded into his being, its power joining with his lifeforce.  Warm lines began to appear across his back and Magnus wondered what tattoo would be visible for everyone to behold.

The warm rock became cool again and when it did, the golden light faded from the room, replaced with the flickering lights of the torches.

“It’s done,” Kalzara said with a groan. 

Pushing off the table, Magnus sat up, swung his legs over the edge and saw the three others all smiling and nodding.

“It’s beautiful Einar,” Thora proclaimed, wiping the last of her tears.  Her face almost glowed, a dimple visible only when smiled so large.

“A dreng for certain,” Valgard said as he moved to offer a hand to Magnus.  “I cannot wait for the tournament to see how you fair.”

“Can I see a mirror?”

Arngrim moved to a cloth that hung over an object at the foot of the table and lifted it up.  The polished metal was not as clear as a mirror from Earth but it gave enough of a reflection that it allowed one to see themself with only a minor haze.

Turning his back to it and looking over his shoulder, Magnus saw a tattoo of a wooden shield taking up two thirds of his muscular back.  Around the metal trim of the shield were runes and at the center was a circle with Thor’s hammer.  The black lines still seemed to vibrate with power.

“What does it do?” Magnus asked, knowing he was grinning like a fool.

Snorting, Arngrim motioned for Magnus to come to where he was standing.

“This next part will barely hurt but you will have a headache for a day,” the older man informed him. “Before Kalzara does it, it is customary for the one who receives the etching to pay the etcher.” 

Holding his hand out, Arngrim put a gold coin in Magnus’s hand when the boy had accepted the coin.

“That is too much!” Thora protested. “We cannot–”

“Do not worry,” Arngrim replied, smirking as he stared at the etcher. “Part of this is pay and the other part is to make sure that Kalzara says nothing about what he did.”

Magnus turned and saw the sweat that had soaked the clothes of Kalzara and handed him the gold coin.  

“Thank you for your service.”

Giving a bow, Kalzara took the coin without hesitating, grinning as he pocketed it.

“Now comes the next part, Einar,” the etcher said. “Sit down, close your eyes, and imagine the All-Father himself looking upon you. Some see him during this moment, while others say they just hear his voice. Whatever takes place is for you and you alone. Sharing that moment is saved only for the one you might one day call your wife.”

Magnus nodded and closed his eyes, the clear image of Odin from a few years ago was locked in place.  Every so often he dreamed the same dream, standing in the hall, seeing the god acknowledge he had completed his task.  Being told he could return to save Martinez and Dawson.

Fingers pressed against his temples and a jolt of pain lanced through his brain. If it wasn’t for the stone table he was sitting on, Magnus was certain he would have fallen.

A flood of something muddled his mind.

“Welcome back my Einherjar!”

Groaning for a moment, Magnus knew the voice and his vision returned.  He was in the same hall it appeared but this time different statues lined the wall.  Two ravens sat on Odin’s shoulders as he took in the view before him.

“You have grown and prospered! Much more than I could have hoped!” Odin exclaimed.  “I am certain you are ready for the next task.”

Thousands of questions, things Magnus wanted to know flooded his mind and yet he knew the most important one of them all.

“What do I need to accomplish first?” Magnus asked, crossing his arms as he stood there, topless in the hall.

Odin roared with laughter and both ravens cawed at the shaking of his shoulders.

“I love that about you Magnus! Right to the point! Very well, time is limited and I have little I can offer beyond this,” Odin replied.  “You must perform well and earn a reputation as a thegn.  It will take time, but I am certain it will happen sooner than most.  Join a warband, gain honor and power and then raise your own. When you do, visit an oracle and I will give you a quest.”

Magnus wanted to ask another question, yet Odin moved toward him, his right arm outstretched.  

“I must touch you, gift you the knowledge of your stats and then return you to Midgar.  Be ready for what comes next.  Forces are moving and I have felt the power of things in the other realms answering the actions I took with you.  Already some have made powerful moves against my people.”

The god’s palm touched Magnus’s chest and covered it entirely.  A pressure freed from his mind and Magnus sensed the change of what he needed to know.

Smirking, Odin winked and both ravens cawed again.

“Travel safe my Einherjar.”

Shaking his head, Magnus felt a throbbing sensation inside his skull.  Kalzara had lied, the migraine he felt was about as bad as any he could remember.  His eyes felt like someone was using a spoon and digging around on each side of his eyeballs, while his temples felt like someone was taking a hammer and banging them repeatedly.  Even the base of his skull experienced a pain as if someone thrust metal nails into it.

Yet amidst all that Magnus could now understand what he needed to do. A single thought brought back a screen he had only seen once.

*****

[ V.A.L.H.A.L.L.A ]

Magnus / Einar Sibbison

Age: 32/16

Strength - 16+2

Endurance - 15+3

Agility - 16

Perception - 10+2

Wisdom - 10

Mysticism - 6

Runes:

Gungnir’s Strength (Chest) Legendary (Hidden)

Max Training Stat for Strength, Endurance and Agility is 50. 2.5 x Growth Rate

25% Bonus to Perception - No Stat Limit

Max Training Stat for Wisdom and Mysticism is 50. 1.5 x Growth Rate

Rune Level Bonuses:

Lvl 1 - 10% Bonus to Strength and Endurance

Experience 73%

Warrior’s Defense (Back) Intermediate

10% Bonus to Endurance

Rune Level Bonuses:

Experience 0%

*****

Magnus wasn’t sure what those stats meant but having numbers representing something seemed weird.  Dawson had always played games on his computer or on his phone, talking about leveling up and stats.  

Am I defined by just numbers or does my experience in a previous life mean anything?

Seeing Einar’s name next to his as well as the age felt off also.  A reminder that he was a guest in a body, attempting the impossible and trying to grow strong enough to save his friends.

“I take it you are saddened by how low the numbers are?” Valgard asked.

“I’m just not certain how to judge them against most people. I know I’m strong compared to almost everyone but Reinn, Hrein and Brennor but I’m faster I think than all three of them. And–”

“I got this,” Arngrim said, cutting off Magnus.  “An average teen who works a job like yours will have a strength of about ten.  Some might reach a twelve if food is plentiful and the put in some extra work.  Most warriors see a range of fourteen to sixteen while only the greatest will ever hit something above an eighteen.”

Coughing and adjusting his robe, Arngrim tapped his staff a few times against the floor as he continued.  

“All this is before possible bonuses from runes but again, most only add a single point to a single stat.  Basic runes might add one, an intermediate rune has three levels it can grow through and can add more.  The advanced runes are rare and very costly.  Some of King Erik’s personal guards have one, maybe two.  The epic runes…”  the rune crafter snorted as he shook his head.  “These are so rare I can imagine that less than fifty exist in the entire kingdom.  Which of course leaves the godly or legendary runes as some call them.  There has been one recorded in the annuals of legends.  King Erik has it.”

Magnus watched as Thora, Valgard and Kalzara all nodded in agreement with what he was hearing.

“So, it takes most warriors a few years to reach a sixteen in their strength.  Endurance is sometimes easier as one can eat well, run a lot, and work harder.  Larger men and often have a higher number, even the fat ones… only Odin knows why.  Agility is a speed thing but also more than that.  It’s hard to nail down but just know someone with a high agility is a dangerous foe. While they may be weaker, they can dodge and land more blows, bleeding someone out.

“Which brings up perception,” Valgard said with a chuckle.

Bobbing his head Arngrim smacked his lips as he considered what to say.

“What’s the point of being fast if you can’t run right or turn when you need to?” he asked Magnus.

“I guess you might trip over your own two feet?” 

“Exactly!” exclaimed the rune crafter.  “A giant has a low perception.  They can demolish a house but controlling all that momentum and strength is hard.  For their size they might seem fast but when compared to a person with a truly high agility and perception they will be able to react faster.  You often also notice things others don’t.  Most warriors struggle to get above a five or six on the perception side.  The really gifted ones might hit an eight or nine.”

“Again, without runes,” Valgard added.

Rolling his eyes and waving his hand at the farmer, Arngrim nodded once.

“Wisdom is more than just intelligence, its understanding. It takes education to raise it but what good is that knowledge if you can’t apply it.  The trap you made for those wolves, Einar, that was a sign of a high wisdom!”

“Which is where mysticism comes in last,” Kalzara said, jumping in as Arngrim took a breath.  “For magical crafters such as myself or Arngrim it plays a vital role.  It also is what determines how much wyrd one has.  Those who use magical spells for either healing like Hragnelf, or a Viking using offensive spells, it is the amount of power we hold and can use before we are unable to cast any more.  To be a rune mage and be out of wyrd is a dangerous thing.”

Magnus’s mind was absorbing everything he heard.  Some of these stats had been discussed and mentioned before by men in the Longhouse, but none of them ever shared numbers or answered his question, all saying in time.  Even Arngrim’s teaching had been limited as the man didn’t want to discuss it until he could see his stats.

“Kalzara is right, but you won’t need to worry about wyrd,” Arngrim stated. “Very few warriors are ever foolish enough to get a rune that allows for using magic.  Doing so would tire them out more than just fighting.” 

“And no one ever really shares their real stats do they?”

As one the four shook their heads.

“While that might not seem like a horrible thing, as a warrior you must be careful with revealing your true potential,” Arngrim replied. “If you are slow and someone who despises you knows that they might pay someone fast to challenge you.  Many strong men have died, losing out power from that death.”

“Which brings me to my last bit of wisdom I always share,” Kalzara said. He moved to a small stone that looked like the one in the center of town.  “You are not bound to our town stone. You need to go and bind yourself to it. There will be others like this around the lands.  Depending on who casts a revival spell upon the stone closest to where you died, you might return there.  Most warriors bind themselves to the closest one and some warbands have a personal one they travel with.  All items you have will be gone, left wherever you met your demise.”

Valgard started to speak but the glare the etcher gave him quieted him.

“There are a few who waste a slot on a very expensive rune.  It grants the bearer the ability to return with whatever was on their body when they died.  Crafting those requires a lot of items from Helheim.  Most do not consider the risk worth the rune.

“When you die, each of your runes will suffer damage.  If your body is retrieved and returned to the revival stone, that damage is cut in half.  Every rune slot in your body only has so much power.  The first death seems trivial until one realizes how it limits your ability to acquire stronger runes.  

“Runes will break if they are weak upon death.  A basic rune will almost always break if you die and do not have a body to revive.”

“Enough!” Arngrim said loudly. “Look at his eyes.  Einar is exhausted and we’re ruining his moment by talking about dying.  Odin is protecting him. He is smart enough to know better than to just die.”

Valgard chuckled and nodded while Magnus felt how tired he really was.

“Thank you, for everything,” Magnus said as a yawn escaped. 

“Let’s turn in son,” Thora said as she moved and took his arm, leading him out the doorway.

Kalzara handed Valgard the axe that belonged to the new warrior and nodded.

“May the All-Father watch over you all.”