Chapter 1 - Chains

She's like no woman I've ever seen. Strong, tall, and overly muscular, she is vulgarly resting on her massive stone throne, legs spread, thick, ripped muscles bulging under the skin, head tilted to the side, seemingly bored and slightly annoyed. A monstrous monument of pure savagery and might right before my eyes, and yet, despite my dread, I can't help but gaze at the deep expanse of her parted thighs, longing for a glimpse of what lies concealed by her lingering loincloth.

Am I insane for allowing my gaze to wander like that? Chained to other doomed bastards, dragged and paraded in front of this barbaric audience, knowing too well there will be little hope for any of us once this procession ends? Guess so. But in my defense, how else can one's mind cope with all the horrors and fears this day brought upon me? Fleeing from reality, letting my gaze wander, watching it settle on that forbidden place.

There's not much left for me to lose anyway. By the end of this day, we'll all be... One way or another, I suspected as much. I'm doomed; there's no way out. Deep inside, I've come to accept it, but at least some part of my mind keeps hoping, thinking, looking for a way out, torturing me with useless questions and fears. I wish for it to stop, but I hope it doesn't.

I'd rather not think about it anymore, so I chase the reality away and push the dread aside for a while longer. I give myself something to do. Yes, there's nothing good waiting for me. Still, for now, here I am, staring at this brutish Valkyrie sitting on her stone throne, this savage queen ruling over these barbaric animals, and at her vulgar display of power. Yes, I've gone crazy, or maybe not.... yet.

"Move, maggots!"

The line moves forward, and each time one of us gets dragged toward her, captives dragging their heavy chains across the cold stone floor. We are all slowly getting paraded before the massive stone throne to have our fate decided by the mighty savage queen. Clan chiefs, warlords, and warriors are standing around us, intensely watching the proceedings, perhaps hoping to be gifted a slave or two or maybe just waiting for something exciting to happen.

I can see her better now. Her wild sand-white hair flows across her back and shoulders, just like that of heroes in those epic fantasy artworks, the most savage and brutal ones, the kind that no one dares to believe could ever be real. Yet here she is, right in front of me, stronger than a wild bull and probably just as savage, a prehistoric wild beast ruling over her tribe of ferocious animals. A lioness, a beast, a savage animal. A monster that can rip a man apart with her bare hands, bored, irritated, annoyed, and slightly disgusted with us all.

Or, maybe, maybe, I'm in the wrong?! Maybe she's the exception! The wise and noble queen of this band of idiot, violent barbarians. A tolerant and civilized soul trapped inside the body of a barbarian war chief goddess. A beautiful and cultured creature forced to live inside the body of a savage war chief goddess. Yeah, sure. Dreams, dreams, and hopes of a lost soul unwilling to face the brutal reality of his last days. And yet the hope dies last, and my mind keeps dreaming. Savage or not, one thing is clear, my fate will be sealed by the nervous twitch of her right hand.

"Move, maggots!" Another push, another step forward.

The line drags on, and I slowly start to understand her boredom. There are many of us and just one of her. Clearly, she has done this before and thinks nothing of this whole event. We're just slaves to her whims, nothing more. I'm just a slave to her whims.

"Move, maggots!"

I wonder why she must be the one to see us all; after all, we're just some stupid captives, and she's basically a savage Queen of sorts.

"The Naked Barbarian Queen." Now that's a nice title for a movie. No, wait, damn, something about that title sounds familiar; I think they already made a movie with that name. I wonder if it was any good. Have I even watched it? I don't remember. It could be one of those shitty B-tier movies that I used to binge on late at night while trying to get myself tired before crashing. I'll have to remember to search for it when...

The line moves once more, and so do I. Another step forward, chains dragging. Three more maggots in front of me and...

SWOOSH!!

A sudden rush of air makes me raise my head. What happened? What's going on?

I freeze!

My brain collapses!

There it is! Right in front of my eyes!

The most horrid image I've ever seen in my life!

The poor bastard's head slowly rolls down on his shoulders, hitting the floor with a muted thud. His body stays still for a moment, then starts to twitch and shake like a headless zombie spewing its blood all over, to the audience's delight. They laugh as the headless prisoner dances in front of them! These animals are having fun!! They are laughing and cheering! This is insanity!!

I look ahead. She's back on her stone throne, cleaning the blood off her massive axe with a smug look on her face. She's amused too! No, not amused, ...her eyes seem filled with anger? Rage? Contempt, maybe?

A cold shiver takes over me. What did the poor fellow do to deserve such a fate? I wonder in shock, watching his shaking corpse finally collapse at her feet. Was he too slow to move? Did he insult her? Was he....

"Move, maggots," comes the push again, but this time the line stands still. No one dares to take another step, and rightfully so!

Everyone has witnessed the execution or at least the result of it. She was so quick; there was no time for the poor man to react, no time for any of us to process what happened. All that was left was the gruesome spectacle, but that was enough. Fear and panic are spreading among all the captives, chains rattle, and bodies push into each other. No one dares to move one step closer to her and her bloodied axe.

But there's no escape, and the first in line is dragged by force in front of her. He's shaking in fear and instantly drops to his knees, prostrating before her. She listens to his mumbling voice and gestures with a satisfied look on her face. The maggot is dragged out of line, his neck spared. He lives! He survives! Whatever awaits him no longer matters! He just escaped her wrath, and that's enough for me right now, enough for all of us. There's hope; somehow, we believe.

Maybe, maybe that one insulted her, maybe he said the wrong words, disrespected her somehow, I dare to think. My brain rushes ahead, making up excuses, searching for reasons, probing the limits of my logic, giving me hope, struggling to keep me alive somehow. But the reality is here, right before my horrified eyes, and the panic sets in. The chopped-off head stares at me, frozen in a never-ending gasp for air. I freeze in fear, barely able to stand. Whatever he did, I better not do!

These are my only saving thoughts.